Strider Knives?

[dinozzo]

I really like striders and plan on getting one soon, but they are a little "rough" IMO...they are awesome knives, but they are a tad over priced IMO...if you can find one fore around 300 i would go for it, but i cant see paying $500 for one...

 

[bobnery]

My advise to Strider, take a little more time with your fit and finish, blade grinds, and definately improve your customer service. Your selling a $400-$500 knife made in USA. Take Pride In It & Make It Right !!!

Amen!!!

 

[stabman]

They are both overpriced and awesome.
Seems quality control is better now, but they could still be $150 cheaper.
Solid as hell, that's for sure.:thumbup:

 

[maxinigrad]

hello I got a Strider from the latest batch, and there is really nothing to complain about the fit and finish, as far as I could see. The stonewashed finish is really neat. The CC series is not rough at all, so I think it's a good choice if you want this knife to serve as an EDC.
The Buck Strider ATS 34 has the same general frame as the Strider SNG, so it's indeed a good way to find out if you like it. I got one, and like it really very much, but the handle is much rougher than the G 10 CC handle from the SNG. Hope this could help you in your choice....

 

[Gear]

I'd rather pay a custom maker directly and have a knife made to my specifications. Plus I don't like Mick or anything he stands for I will not own a thing that has his name attached to it or is associated with his company. And to Mick and any of his cronies if your reading this that E-mail was low and so is the way your acting grow up and get over it.

 

[ZippoThisKnifeThat]

Curious what is the bad rep with Mick Strider?
couple people here have posted they don't like Mick Strider or what he stands for.

What's the deal?

 

[illumination]

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=453852F

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

Buy a Zero Tolerance and save a ton of cash.

 

[Josh K]

Buy a Zero Tolerance and save a ton of cash.

I prefer the Strider folders to the ZT lineup.

 

[featherstone45]

very satisfied with my SMF...

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

I prefer the Strider folders to the ZT lineup.

That's just a personal preference due to design/form-factor. I was merelly tallking quality-wise. They are just a tough as any Strider, but better finished and cheaper to boot.

 

[Josh K]

That's just a personal preference due to design/form-factor. I was merelly tallking quality-wise. They are just a tough as any Strider, but better finished and cheaper to boot.

My SMF CC is impeccably finished, as have all Strider knives I've handled. I hear reports of bad grinds and rough spots, but haven't seen one myself.

Yes I prefer the design of the Strider folders to the ZT line. However you can't just say because it's just as tough, possibly better finished, and cheaper it's better.

 

[Agent Orange]

I think that many people, when spending Strider kind of money, expect a perfectly finished knife that can be used or displayed and it will look pretty in a case.

That's not what Striders are, they are tools, in every sense of the word. They are purposefully designed with thick edges that arent as sharp as say a Spyderco or Emerson made for slicing. They're ground thick because you can use them to pry open doors with absolutely no ill effects.

I've owned a limited edition SNG, and have handled countless other Striders at get-togethers.

Are they worth the money? For me, no question, yes they are.

Will they be worth it to you? That depends what you want out of your knfie. If you want a super slicer laser sharp knife, then no. If you want a knife thats sharp enough to do most things, and can be used to pry, scrape, stab, impale and truly do ANYTHING, then yes, they are totally worth it.

For the record, I no longer have that SNG, because i wasn't using it for more than cutting open boxes, so I passed it along to a member who would use it hard and truly appreciate it.

At least, thats how I see it.

 

[Colt6731]

They are well made hard use knives. I carried a Strider VB, EB-T, and a DB during my tour in Iraq last year. They are not pretty fancy artsy knives, they are hard use combat/utility blades made to use and abuse. they are not hunting, bushcraft, or kitchen knives so dont expect them to be. They are very popular with Military personnel and I saw quite a few in Iraq. I would say I saw 20+ Striders to every TOPS knife (which means I saw no TOPS knife in Iraq).

 

[somniloquist]

I know there is a certain mystique with the Strider name and I thought long and hard about an Sng. However, a Hinderer XM-18 came along for the same price (500 bucks including a second scale and a nice case) and I jumped at that instead.

I still think Striders are pretty cool but my XM-18 is built like a tank, is perfectly smooth and well finished and has excellent ergos for me. It's not the same thing, but in my opinion, definitely worth considering if you come upon a good deal. Good luck with whatever you choose!

 

[scotty1984]

I have owned over 40 Rare MSC's. Some were incredible and some were poor in the QC department. I tried the XM-18(Great knife) but to me.. nothing compares to to the feel of a Strider. The Strider guys treated me very fair and I personally feel that they are worth the money.

You make your own choice..


Here's a few of my favorites.....

 

[ZippoThisKnifeThat]

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=453852F

thanks for the link that is a lot of information to take in in one sitting lol

 

[knifeshow]

I think that many people, when spending Strider kind of money, expect a perfectly finished knife that can be used or displayed and it will look pretty in a case.

I think you just hit the nail on the head for much of the bad press that strider receives.

Too many people equate price with luxury, not with overall usefulness.

I would rather spend $500 on a strider (or an XM-18) than 200 on a folder and another 200 on a fixed blade b/c I didn't feel that my folder was up to the tasks that I may ask of it.

In fact that exactly what I did!

My SMF F&F was spot on, I got it in DGG it carries great and feels awesome in the hand, I love the clip to. The edge wasn't the best but for its use I didn't expect it to be a laser; in re to the blade IMO strider's S30V is the best in the business, much better than say that of CRK which by many in regarded as being a touch soft.

 

[STR]

I have heard lots of good things about Strider knives. I have heard they are worth the money. But I will never own anything with the Strider name attached to it. I don't like or have respect for Mick Strider, and won't contribute a single penny to anything he ever does.

But I won't say his knives suck or anything like that.

Same here but I don't let who designed a knife dictate if I'll own it for a bit or not. Most folks don't know the dirt on everyone and if you did I'm sure there are others you'd want to dump immediately. I don't feel its enough to make me dump what is otherwise a good working knife though. Just my opinion.

Personally after seeing some PTs and PT CCs one just the day before yesterday for some work after it was at Strider for two months and they didn't fix all that was wrong with it I can say I feel the company has gone down hill since I owned my PTs. On this last knife it was sent with a blade so off center it was nearly rubbing the one side. They fixed that but when you closed the blade the point was sticking up so much it could catch fingers and/or clothing. That they missed and didn't touch. According to the owner of this knife they were terrible at getting back to him at all where he sent like 13 emails to their one reply late in the game and even then basically wanting $15 to mail the knife back to him.

Anyway, I've had three of the PTs. Two had off center blades which were fine otherwise but I liked the knives although they did have a bit of a unfinished appearance to them. My thoughts on that are so what. Wait til I get done with them and they'll be even more unfinished. The last one I owned and sold was probably my favorite PT of the three even with the off centered blade. I should have kept it but the Master Card bill was crying out to me at the time. I always liked the old Gerber Sportsman knives from the 70s, particularly the model 6101 and kind of figured these knives had some influence on Mick or Duane or both when they came up with their handle design. I saw immediate similarity between the handle shapes of these old Gerbers and the Strider folders. The old Gerbers even had somewhat of a choil although it was not really a full blown choil or sold that way. You could use it as one though to some extent. Whether that theory of mine is anywhere near accurate is another issue. Whatever the case seeing this and liking the old Gerbers made it a natural progression for me to want to check the Strider folders out. I've owned 2 SnG models and the PTs as I said and liked both models fine other than finish and stated blade center issues. I cleaned the finishes up myself to my liking and just lived with the blades being slightly off. FWIW I have had to do that with other knives as well but none quite in the same price point of the Striders.

For the same money I'd get the XM-18 in 3" or 3.5" blade length hands down if you are looking at a PT or SnG. The 18 IMO offers more and is more of a custom not a production. Well, I guess its a production blade if you get one of the newer ones Rick is making. (third generation I think) Point is, either way I'd say the 18 is a better knife in my opinion.

STR

 

[Pbsteve77]

Here's my strider story up to now.

Ever since I was about 13 I've always wanted a strider - #1 on my gear list. I finally got one this year (im 20) and I can say that I love my SNG, its my first "high end" knife. Mine is a SNG with a digi camo blade and gunner grips. I don't have any side to side/up down play issues with the blade. As others have said, its not the sharpest knife I own, but again, its a utility blade.

HOWEVER, b/c of the cost, I am almost hesitant to use it as my main working blade, especially underway. For that, I'd rather use my $100 5.11. For me, this blade was bought for the looks and the name, not so much with the intent of being able to slam it up against a bulkhead. There's a couple minor things about this knife I don't like. One is the ease of deployment. The other is the fact that my black gunner grips made of G-10 now have a whitish tint to them b/c my hands sweat a lot during most of the use. I've tried to wash it off a little, but I think its just that the sweat is exposing the different layers of the material and its making it look white. Kind of a bummer aesthetically but what the heck.


Summary:

Love it (despite cost)
Sometimes afraid to use b/c cost/looks
Hard to deploy (maybe break in more?) and grips have changed color a little
Worth about $200 less to me.

**as you can see from the right side of the G10 to the rest of the handle where I grip the blade, it's developed a whitish tint, probably not striders fault, but one of my observations from usage. The white is over pronounced b/c I'm lighting the picture with an LED light, just to show what I'm describing**

-steve

p.s - going with a sebbie or a ZT next time.