- Joined
- Feb 7, 2013
- Messages
- 1,859
Ok......so I said I wouldn't be able to get out into the woods to test the TGLB until Monday or Tuesday.......well I left work early so I could get out there and beat this thing up!
My impressions.......
This is my first experience with G10. Im sold. Ive heard that its much slicker than micarta. I didn't get that at all.....in fact.....just the opposite. As my hands began to sweat......it got more and more grippy. Love the feel of it. Speaking of the handle........the handle provides multiple grip positions very comfortably. I was suprized just how well this grip feels and fills the hands just right.
Choking down provides an excellent and comfortable chopping grip......as well as being very efficient. Ive read that some people don't like the double top guard as it gets in the way when choking up. I didn't have that problem what so ever. I was able to easily choke up as far as I needed without that top back guard bothering me in the least. I think it looks great and because of the holes in the guard it offers lots of options.
This blade is way more stout than the pics imply. Ive read in the past that some people were concerned that the whole "light brigade" treatment would hinder its durability. Rest assured......your not going to break this beast. I tried. More on that later.
I hate hollow grinds. Ive always felt they hold the blade back in chopping and heavy tasks. But I was intrigued by this design. The hollow grind is so shallow.....its almost a flat grind. In fact almost too flat. I may have this re-profiled to make the hollow grind more pronounced. It seems very thick behind the edge.....which caused more glancing chops than I cared for. Its so obtuse......I began to fear it wouldn't bite at all after a few glances.
Once I got the feel for the geometry of the blade.....it did much better and did indeed bite. It DOES NOT bite as well as it should though...however I believe that the thick coating (which WILL be getting stripped soon!) and the thicker than I expected shoulders.....are the culprit. Once I get that coating off and thin the shoulders.......I believe this will be not only a fantastic slicer but it will even become a GREAT chopper. Yes......I said a great chopper.
I did a little head to head against the Chopweiler......but in its factory condition.....it could not out perform the Chopweiler. I didn't expect it too. Very few blades pound for pound can. However it did do very well despite its short comings. The balance point forward of the handle helps greatly with chopping and gives it a very lively feel in the hand.
I said earlier i tried to break it and couldnt do it. I stabbed the tip in hard wood multiple times and reefed on it back and forth to see how well the tip held up. Its a beast. It was just ripping the wood to pieces. I can see why Darryl used the TGLB for so long to penetrate zombie skulls! I also buried the blade into severed tree limbs to see how far I could flex the blade side to side. I honestly don't see how anyone could ever break this in any real world experience or event.
So far im very happy with the TGLB. With a little work....this has a ton more potential and im looking very forward to unlocking that. Now........time for some pics!!!!
My impressions.......
This is my first experience with G10. Im sold. Ive heard that its much slicker than micarta. I didn't get that at all.....in fact.....just the opposite. As my hands began to sweat......it got more and more grippy. Love the feel of it. Speaking of the handle........the handle provides multiple grip positions very comfortably. I was suprized just how well this grip feels and fills the hands just right.
Choking down provides an excellent and comfortable chopping grip......as well as being very efficient. Ive read that some people don't like the double top guard as it gets in the way when choking up. I didn't have that problem what so ever. I was able to easily choke up as far as I needed without that top back guard bothering me in the least. I think it looks great and because of the holes in the guard it offers lots of options.
This blade is way more stout than the pics imply. Ive read in the past that some people were concerned that the whole "light brigade" treatment would hinder its durability. Rest assured......your not going to break this beast. I tried. More on that later.
I hate hollow grinds. Ive always felt they hold the blade back in chopping and heavy tasks. But I was intrigued by this design. The hollow grind is so shallow.....its almost a flat grind. In fact almost too flat. I may have this re-profiled to make the hollow grind more pronounced. It seems very thick behind the edge.....which caused more glancing chops than I cared for. Its so obtuse......I began to fear it wouldn't bite at all after a few glances.
Once I got the feel for the geometry of the blade.....it did much better and did indeed bite. It DOES NOT bite as well as it should though...however I believe that the thick coating (which WILL be getting stripped soon!) and the thicker than I expected shoulders.....are the culprit. Once I get that coating off and thin the shoulders.......I believe this will be not only a fantastic slicer but it will even become a GREAT chopper. Yes......I said a great chopper.
I did a little head to head against the Chopweiler......but in its factory condition.....it could not out perform the Chopweiler. I didn't expect it too. Very few blades pound for pound can. However it did do very well despite its short comings. The balance point forward of the handle helps greatly with chopping and gives it a very lively feel in the hand.
I said earlier i tried to break it and couldnt do it. I stabbed the tip in hard wood multiple times and reefed on it back and forth to see how well the tip held up. Its a beast. It was just ripping the wood to pieces. I can see why Darryl used the TGLB for so long to penetrate zombie skulls! I also buried the blade into severed tree limbs to see how far I could flex the blade side to side. I honestly don't see how anyone could ever break this in any real world experience or event.
So far im very happy with the TGLB. With a little work....this has a ton more potential and im looking very forward to unlocking that. Now........time for some pics!!!!
