Chris :
Those folders are wild, they look really interesting.
They have the ability of allowing a medium sized fixed blade to increase its reach and balance to that of a 9-10" large camp bowie class blade. It is a very nice idea for a single blade user. Note that the weight and ease of carrying is the same of course as a regular medium sized fixed blade.
I have been using them for the past while and they are working quite well. Mainly chopping and slicing up wood, with some splitting, prying digging and lighter cutting like cordage thrown in. I have even used them in the kitchen, this is probably the area where the biggest weakness is significant as the thicker grind makes working with thicker vegetables difficult.
I am not into destruction of knives but I think it is important to test them hard so in a situation you don't have to worry about pushing them.
Breaking a blade to see how and when it fails is fairly important for a lot of reasons not just specific to that blade. Of course you should have the understanding with the maker that this is the intention. It is something that the maker could do themselves and many do which is appreciated by all those who they share it with.
The main problem with a makers own testing is that of course the same as with any type of evaluation. Are you going to put absolute faith in what someone says about the product that they are selling? Have you ever seen a company test their product against another and publish the results which show that they are selling an inferior product? Obviously not.
Of course a deliberate faulting is not the same as a break that happens during normal use or a simulation of such. There is not reason not to use a blade in this manner, and it is actually very irresponsible if you don't. Both for you and the people who you may lend your blades to.
Bottom line in any review you should have a decent line of communication with the maker. This is not to say that you let them dictate the review process as it should be a fairly standard procedure. However you should have their opinion on methods of sharpening, techniques for use and necessary steps to keep the blade maintained to make sure that you cover the areas in which they feel the blade is best suited for and used in the manner that they feel is optimal.
There are lots of makers that encourage open reviews and working with them can be a very valuable experience as the sharing of information goes both ways. Phil Wilson, Jerry Busse, Ed Schott, P.J. Turner, the guys from Strider, and Lynn Griffith are among the best in this area that I have worked with. There are other guys like R.J. Martin that are excellent in this area as well but I have not had as of yet the experience of using their blades.
-Cliff
