Ive had my PT for a couple of weeks now and cant fault it. Its solidly put together and comfortable to carry. To be honest, Im never going to do anything heavy duty with it, but I like knowing that if something does break I can send it back to the guys who made it and theyll fix it without giving me any aggravation. That alone makes it worth the price tag for me.
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Strider folder--I don't get it
- Thread starter Swedge
- Start date
- Joined
- May 30, 2007
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- 2,397
Cool, i'm not the only one!
Dunno, personally alot of the over the top marketing just rubs me the wrong way, but to each his own and if you enjoy the striders then have at 'em.
At the end of the day its a sharp and pointy so we discuss it here, thats the way its supposed to be
we are knife geeks
ivan
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2007
- Messages
- 958
All of the 5 or so ex army guys I let play with my Strider were very impressed with it.
None of them would have paid over a hundred bucks for a knife they might lose they said.
The only one who actually purchased one was the guy who went to Africa with MPRI 2 years ago and litterally did not know what to do with all the money they threw at him. (He had been a Ranger, then tail gunner for a PMC in Iraq.)
The only question for me is if they're worth the money. And thats relative to how much money you have.
Let me just say, if Bill Gates had to go to war, and needed a pocket knife, I firmly believe he'd take a Strider. For all sorts of reasons...
None of them would have paid over a hundred bucks for a knife they might lose they said.
The only one who actually purchased one was the guy who went to Africa with MPRI 2 years ago and litterally did not know what to do with all the money they threw at him. (He had been a Ranger, then tail gunner for a PMC in Iraq.)
The only question for me is if they're worth the money. And thats relative to how much money you have.
Let me just say, if Bill Gates had to go to war, and needed a pocket knife, I firmly believe he'd take a Strider. For all sorts of reasons...
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2008
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- 10,394
What's wrong with a little pimping?
Take a standard Ford F150. Working mans truck. Some people will take that truck and polish it up, add some flames, a $1500 sound system, mudbogging tires, etc, and then just leave it safe in the garage.
I don't see why a hard use tool has to start off ugly.
GronK
Gold Member
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- Apr 1, 2001
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- 19,370
My point exactly.
- Joined
- May 21, 2000
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- 6,277
I've never cared for Strider products. I don't need a folding prybar, or an overpriced factory knife that may have issues. My knives are for cutting soft materials only, and Striders are not optimized for this task. Ignoring resale value, I'd rather have a decent Spyderco than any Strider folder.
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- Mar 16, 2005
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- 3,652
Yup. Same here. I briefly had an SnG, many years ago, before the fiasco, and quickly discovered that the only thing I found 'better' about it was being able to say I owned one. That just wasn't enough reason for me to keep it.
Regards,
3G
you had to have seen an AR or GB vs the SnG or SmF, the SnG and SmF are great in the pocket and not bulky at all, AR & GB though are another story and are imho more at home in a sheath vs a pocket.
The basic SMFs and SNGs are pretty plain and uninspiring, but so is a Sebenza.
I don’t blame anyone for wondering what the attraction is, unless you’ve used them.
The analogy some have used, comparing a military rifle to a nice hunting rifle, is spot on. tirod 3 pretty much nailed it.
Military rifles seem rather crude, are usually not that well finished and have looser tolerances than a civilian-hunting rifle. Nice hunting rifles are pretty, smooth and nicely finished. They both are made for different uses. You could substitute one for the other in a heartbeat, they both fire rounds. However, one is better suited for its purpose than the other.
I have a SNG GG and an Umnumzaan. I think the ‘zaan is a better knife than the Sebenza. Some people don’t. That’s OK.
The CRK has much thicker titanium slabs than the Strider. It has to, because thin titanium flexes more than G-10. If the ‘zaan or Seb had thin titanium like the Strider, it would become useless. That’s one reason Strider uses the G-10. Both knives are very solid. The Strider weighs a lot less however.
The argument that G-10 is flexible, soft, or weak is completely without merit, especially in the Strider design.
Both knives have a very smooth pivot and lock up very tight.
The ‘zaans lock releases much easier than the Strider, (or Sebenza), due to its ceramic ball interface. Outright winner here.
The ergos are so different. Each one is better suited to certain tasks than the other.
Blade shape, grind and design, same thing, each one is better suited to certain tasks than the other.
The Strider offers more options for opening and hand positions. Outright winner here.
Bottom line:
Both knives are attractive. The SNG GG is much nicer looking than the plain-Jane version. The ‘zann is much nicer looking than the Sebenza. (Unless of course you opt for the extra $150+ decorated versions which somewhat disqualifies it as a ‘hard use knife’ IMO).
Both are tough, solid knives that I could depend on in the worst circumstances.
But if I had a good idea what those trying circumstances might be, I would definitely choose one over the other. It would depend on the circumstance.
I don’t blame anyone for wondering what the attraction is, unless you’ve used them.
The analogy some have used, comparing a military rifle to a nice hunting rifle, is spot on. tirod 3 pretty much nailed it.
Military rifles seem rather crude, are usually not that well finished and have looser tolerances than a civilian-hunting rifle. Nice hunting rifles are pretty, smooth and nicely finished. They both are made for different uses. You could substitute one for the other in a heartbeat, they both fire rounds. However, one is better suited for its purpose than the other.
I have a SNG GG and an Umnumzaan. I think the ‘zaan is a better knife than the Sebenza. Some people don’t. That’s OK.
The CRK has much thicker titanium slabs than the Strider. It has to, because thin titanium flexes more than G-10. If the ‘zaan or Seb had thin titanium like the Strider, it would become useless. That’s one reason Strider uses the G-10. Both knives are very solid. The Strider weighs a lot less however.
The argument that G-10 is flexible, soft, or weak is completely without merit, especially in the Strider design.
Both knives have a very smooth pivot and lock up very tight.
The ‘zaans lock releases much easier than the Strider, (or Sebenza), due to its ceramic ball interface. Outright winner here.
The ergos are so different. Each one is better suited to certain tasks than the other.
Blade shape, grind and design, same thing, each one is better suited to certain tasks than the other.
The Strider offers more options for opening and hand positions. Outright winner here.
Bottom line:
Both knives are attractive. The SNG GG is much nicer looking than the plain-Jane version. The ‘zann is much nicer looking than the Sebenza. (Unless of course you opt for the extra $150+ decorated versions which somewhat disqualifies it as a ‘hard use knife’ IMO).
Both are tough, solid knives that I could depend on in the worst circumstances.
But if I had a good idea what those trying circumstances might be, I would definitely choose one over the other. It would depend on the circumstance.
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- Joined
- Aug 15, 2007
- Messages
- 363
Well said bearcut, especially about handle material and thickness. I just recently aquired an Elson ESP 3" folder after selling my last Strider, a PT CC which was a great little knive, just not for me.
The Elson (a custom) has .125 G10 and .100 Ti for handles. Obviously not as strong as a Stider or Sebenza but is what I wanted...thin , flat and slips into front jeans pocket nicely ( got rid of the clip).
Interestingly, the last two knives I handled at a knive show were an Umnumzaan and the Elson. Am a Reeve fan, but put down the Umnumzaan and bought the Elson as I thought it would be better for what I wanted to use it for. Did I make the right decision ? I'll know after I carry it and use it for a couple of months.
The Elson (a custom) has .125 G10 and .100 Ti for handles. Obviously not as strong as a Stider or Sebenza but is what I wanted...thin , flat and slips into front jeans pocket nicely ( got rid of the clip).
Interestingly, the last two knives I handled at a knive show were an Umnumzaan and the Elson. Am a Reeve fan, but put down the Umnumzaan and bought the Elson as I thought it would be better for what I wanted to use it for. Did I make the right decision ? I'll know after I carry it and use it for a couple of months.
pvicenzi
Basic Member
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- Dec 25, 2008
- Messages
- 6,678
Well, I've been considering the purchase of a Strider, but so far all I've read about is how tough they are. Toughness is only one of many things I consider when buying a folder. How well do they slice onions? How well do they open packages? How good are they for field dressing whitetails? How easy, or how difficult, are they to sharpen? After all, even a combat soldier opens more MRE's than he does bad guys.
I don't own or want a Strider and I plan to get rid of the only Sebenza I've ever owned, so I don't have a dog in this hunt.
However, I want to heartily congratulate everyone involved with this thread. It is into it's third page and hasn't turned into a pissin' contest. Impressive and refreshing! Apparently there's a bunch of adults here.
However, I want to heartily congratulate everyone involved with this thread. It is into it's third page and hasn't turned into a pissin' contest. Impressive and refreshing! Apparently there's a bunch of adults here.
what happened to the issued sheath knife? My friend who is serving refers to his issue Kabar, but he's not a knife guy so i couldn get him to tell me what they carry he just called it a kabar... and they get abused
Valid comment - and you also pinned it down precisely. ONLY the Marines issue a knife to each soldier. The Army doesn't, period, except as a tool inventoried as part of a larger set.
It's a myth that soldiers at large get any knife "issued" at all, as only 1 in 10 is in a combat MOS. Quite honestly, I've seen more Gerber Multitools on helicopter crews, TL29's on Signal wiremen, and Benchmade AFO's in Commander's pockets.
None of them would have paid over a hundred bucks for a knife they might lose they said. I agree completely. In my experience most soldiers pick up what they can use from the PX - Cold Steel, Spyderco, Buck, etc. The very few who do use a Strider - or Sebenza - can accept the loss. And often enough, they were issued the Strider as an accountable item, expendable but durable. There aren't many knives issued with serial numbers in the service.
The interesting parallel is that if someone wants to imply most Strider sales are to individuals not employed by DOD - which would be silly to deny, then it also would show that most Sebenza owners are also purchasing something they have no real need for. After all, the question SnG vs. Sebbie seems to imply the potential buyer is looking more for a pat on the back than a serious examination of the tools.
No choil vs big choil. Straight simple handle design vs more purpose driven grip shape. Hollow ground thinner edge vs flat ground heavier edge. You couldn't find 2 better designs to compare because they are nothing alike.
The CRK has much thicker titanium slabs than the Strider. It has to, because thin titanium flexes more than G-10. If the zaan or Seb had thin titanium like the Strider, it would become useless. Thats one reason Strider uses the G-10. Both knives are very solid. The Strider weighs a lot less however.The argument that G-10 is flexible, soft, or weak is completely without merit, especially in the Strider design.
The ergos are so different. Each one is better suited to certain tasks than the other. Blade shape, grind and design, same thing, each one is better suited to certain tasks than the other.The Strider offers more options for opening and hand positions. Outright winner here.
How many times does this kind of analysis get ignored in the thread? BM vs. Spyderco, it's all about ergos, blade grinds, the shape of the clip. Read up any Vex vs. Tenacious thread - same materials and treatment - you get the impression people know what they are talking about.
Mention SnG vs. Sebenza, it gets ignored. I can tell you why, the argument is about ego, not the tool, and the clash starts as soon as self images feel threatened.
So, if you are a well-heeled suburbanite slicing braunshweiger with your Sebenza on the tailgate of your Escalade at your daugher's soccer tournament, and you see a grubbier dude Stridering open a can of peaches on the back of his jeep, count your frickin blessings. After all, he hired you, right?
Valid comment - and you also pinned it down precisely. ONLY the Marines issue a knife to each soldier. The Army doesn't, period, except as a tool inventoried as part of a larger set.
It's a myth that soldiers at large get any knife "issued" at all, as only 1 in 10 is in a combat MOS. Quite honestly, I've seen more Gerber Multitools on helicopter crews, TL29's on Signal wiremen, and Benchmade AFO's in Commander's pockets.
None of them would have paid over a hundred bucks for a knife they might lose they said. I agree completely. In my experience most soldiers pick up what they can use from the PX - Cold Steel, Spyderco, Buck, etc. The very few who do use a Strider - or Sebenza - can accept the loss. And often enough, they were issued the Strider as an accountable item, expendable but durable. There aren't many knives issued with serial numbers in the service.
The interesting parallel is that if someone wants to imply most Strider sales are to individuals not employed by DOD - which would be silly to deny, then it also would show that most Sebenza owners are also purchasing something they have no real need for. After all, the question SnG vs. Sebbie seems to imply the potential buyer is looking more for a pat on the back than a serious examination of the tools.
No choil vs big choil. Straight simple handle design vs more purpose driven grip shape. Hollow ground thinner edge vs flat ground heavier edge. You couldn't find 2 better designs to compare because they are nothing alike.
The CRK has much thicker titanium slabs than the Strider. It has to, because thin titanium flexes more than G-10. If the zaan or Seb had thin titanium like the Strider, it would become useless. Thats one reason Strider uses the G-10. Both knives are very solid. The Strider weighs a lot less however.The argument that G-10 is flexible, soft, or weak is completely without merit, especially in the Strider design.
The ergos are so different. Each one is better suited to certain tasks than the other. Blade shape, grind and design, same thing, each one is better suited to certain tasks than the other.The Strider offers more options for opening and hand positions. Outright winner here.
How many times does this kind of analysis get ignored in the thread? BM vs. Spyderco, it's all about ergos, blade grinds, the shape of the clip. Read up any Vex vs. Tenacious thread - same materials and treatment - you get the impression people know what they are talking about.
Mention SnG vs. Sebenza, it gets ignored. I can tell you why, the argument is about ego, not the tool, and the clash starts as soon as self images feel threatened.
So, if you are a well-heeled suburbanite slicing braunshweiger with your Sebenza on the tailgate of your Escalade at your daugher's soccer tournament, and you see a grubbier dude Stridering open a can of peaches on the back of his jeep, count your frickin blessings. After all, he hired you, right?
What fiasco?
I wasn't looking to turn this into a Strider vs. Sebenza debate, something which apparently has gone on before (and something I was unaware of).
I'm really looking for things the Strider does that a high-quality supposedly hard-use folder does not. Or that it does better.
I understand that some people like the looks of the Strider better. That's a matter that is not open to debate. De gustibus non est disputandum. Likewise about the knife fitting one's hand better. A matter of personal taste.
Statements like "They both are made for different uses ... Each one is better suited to certain tasks than the other" address the question I'd like the answer to, but only serve to tantalize. At what tasks is a Strider folder better than a knife like the Sebenza? "Hard use" is too vague to answer the question.
Opening a can of peaches? OK, I get that. (Doesn't do much for me, but I get it.) Using the knife otherwise on sheet metal? OK. (Again, personally I'm not going to do that.)
Use as a pry bar? OK. Fine. I'll accept the contention that both cutting ferrous sheet metal and prying constitute "hard use" for the Strider and "abuse" for any other folder.
What else? Anything?
I'm really looking for things the Strider does that a high-quality supposedly hard-use folder does not. Or that it does better.
I understand that some people like the looks of the Strider better. That's a matter that is not open to debate. De gustibus non est disputandum. Likewise about the knife fitting one's hand better. A matter of personal taste.
Statements like "They both are made for different uses ... Each one is better suited to certain tasks than the other" address the question I'd like the answer to, but only serve to tantalize. At what tasks is a Strider folder better than a knife like the Sebenza? "Hard use" is too vague to answer the question.
Opening a can of peaches? OK, I get that. (Doesn't do much for me, but I get it.) Using the knife otherwise on sheet metal? OK. (Again, personally I'm not going to do that.)
Use as a pry bar? OK. Fine. I'll accept the contention that both cutting ferrous sheet metal and prying constitute "hard use" for the Strider and "abuse" for any other folder.
What else? Anything?
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2004
- Messages
- 12,957
Just a thought or two more. The idea that a Strider SnG or PT or the other folders made with ergos and curvy deep grooves for gripping more securely is more versatile in multiple grips can be debated because it depends on what those 'other grips' are for. Honestly I'd have to say that any straight bodied Puukko style handle will be more comfortable to use in general and more versatile than anything curvy with lots of ergos designed for the fingers to wrap around primarily in one grip mode or two geared for stabbing and fighting.
The fact is in skinning and other chores in the field and many other real world use situations often times you'd want to flip that folder upside down or side ways in various grips for detail work and use it and I can't imagine the SnG being any easier to do that with than Spyderco Dodo would be but you'd be able to do that with a Sebenza fairly well I think. Its basically a perfect bush craft shape IMO and there is a reason that bush crafter handle shape is so often sought for what the tool is used for. Other folding knives like the Caswell EDC, the Martin Brothers Tejas folder and even my own Ouparator folder would all be versatile like this also which is why I favored that shape in my handle choice.
In my opinion again, the Strider folders would excel better for straight hard stabs and defensive or killing situations where you are actually fighting with it over these Puukko designs but honestly all that is based more on a fantasy need than any real life issues where you would even think to pull out your folder as your primary weapon, especially in a military setting when you have a rifle and a back up pistol, and then a fixed blade after that in most cases.
STR
The fact is in skinning and other chores in the field and many other real world use situations often times you'd want to flip that folder upside down or side ways in various grips for detail work and use it and I can't imagine the SnG being any easier to do that with than Spyderco Dodo would be but you'd be able to do that with a Sebenza fairly well I think. Its basically a perfect bush craft shape IMO and there is a reason that bush crafter handle shape is so often sought for what the tool is used for. Other folding knives like the Caswell EDC, the Martin Brothers Tejas folder and even my own Ouparator folder would all be versatile like this also which is why I favored that shape in my handle choice.
In my opinion again, the Strider folders would excel better for straight hard stabs and defensive or killing situations where you are actually fighting with it over these Puukko designs but honestly all that is based more on a fantasy need than any real life issues where you would even think to pull out your folder as your primary weapon, especially in a military setting when you have a rifle and a back up pistol, and then a fixed blade after that in most cases.
STR
- Joined
- May 1, 2007
- Messages
- 534
I love striders. I have an SNG. I had a SMF as of yesterday. I just carried the SNG way more. I am looking for the perfect EDC so I traded the SMF for a NIB Umnumzaan. The blade of the Umnumzaan spoke to me more than the sebbie. The umnum has more character than the sebbie IMHO. The scales look a little more aggresive and so does the blade. This will be my first CRK and I'll see how I like it and if it lives up to all the hype. In my personnal experience the striders are bad a$$ folders. If the Umnum doesn't work out the next will be a SNG tanto.
Now for the case of what does it do better then any other folder??? Nothing.... I can do what ever I need to do with a SAK. I just think the striders have an attitude attached to them. CRK have a absolute precision quality about them. I just love knives not for any other reason. I use these just as I would any other knife it just has to speak to me.
Now for the case of what does it do better then any other folder??? Nothing.... I can do what ever I need to do with a SAK. I just think the striders have an attitude attached to them. CRK have a absolute precision quality about them. I just love knives not for any other reason. I use these just as I would any other knife it just has to speak to me.
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- Joined
- Jan 16, 2005
- Messages
- 2,938
Cant people like both? i have a strider slcc and will eventually get a tanto sng and a standard smf, but i also have 3 sebbies. i was always under th eimpression that people signed up for this forum because THEY LIKED KNIVES so why all the hatin? we all like knives. if something doesnt do it for you why cant it be good for soeone else? i think that people whoclaim that either are bad knives are completley full of shit. ive handled many a knife and i am still impressed by both strider and chriss reeve. cant we all just unite in our hatred of dork ops and get along?
tirod3 is spouting alot of truth, we army guys rarely get issued a knife other than a gerber multitool regardless of wether or not were in a combat MOS (i carry my leatherman and leave the gerber at the barracks btw) the whole strider knives getting issued is not a myth however go look in 3rd bats cage room and youll see a bunch of the trainers probably keep the live blades in the arms room. each soldier carries whatever type of knife they see fit. i personally like emersons good quality and reliability and if i lose it i wont cry (much). if i was contracted to a pmc (and was making the BIG bucks) id carry only strider folders and busse fixed blades, but for now ill stick with rat fixed blades and emerson folder theyre still amazing knives.
p.s the multitool would still be a leatherman wave.
tirod3 is spouting alot of truth, we army guys rarely get issued a knife other than a gerber multitool regardless of wether or not were in a combat MOS (i carry my leatherman and leave the gerber at the barracks btw) the whole strider knives getting issued is not a myth however go look in 3rd bats cage room and youll see a bunch of the trainers probably keep the live blades in the arms room. each soldier carries whatever type of knife they see fit. i personally like emersons good quality and reliability and if i lose it i wont cry (much). if i was contracted to a pmc (and was making the BIG bucks) id carry only strider folders and busse fixed blades, but for now ill stick with rat fixed blades and emerson folder theyre still amazing knives.
p.s the multitool would still be a leatherman wave.