The Bears' Den--Shirogorov Showcase

Pompous said:
I really enjoyed my time with the Russian Dr Death but I was disappointed by the detent. The one I owned was so light the flipper only worked consistently when positioning your hand very deliberately to try and get extra leverage on the flipper tab (artificially preloading it way more than the detent itself could manage).

The super light weight of the CF version combined with the blade shape was a great combo - though.
Click to expand...
It works best if you press the tip of the flipper inwards rather than pulling down on it.
 
Pompous said:
I really enjoyed my time with the Russian Dr Death but I was disappointed by the detent. The one I owned was so light the flipper only worked consistently when positioning your hand very deliberately to try and get extra leverage on the flipper tab (artificially preloading it way more than the detent itself could manage).

The super light weight of the CF version combined with the blade shape was a great combo - though.
Click to expand...
The lock bar is on the shorter side from what I remember, perhaps that explains the detent
 
Synov said:
It works best if you press the tip of the flipper inwards rather than pulling down on it.
Click to expand...
I did this, but I had to apply pressure inward/upward almost to preload mine enough to fire.

I tore my finger up for a few days/weeks before I decided there wasn't anything wrong with an F95 for a carry and sold the RDD.
 
It took me a while to figure out how to fire my RDD consistently. I press on the flipper and flick my wrist very little and it comes right out now. My 110 KS is the hardest one for my arthritic hands to operate.
 
Mr.sig239 said:
It took me a while to figure out how to fire my RDD consistently. I press on the flipper and flick my wrist very little and it comes right out now. My 110 KS is the hardest one for my arthritic hands to operate.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately I've never had any of those collabs in my possession to chime in with my own opinion about the deployment nuances. Nor did I have a chance to handle the original US-made customs.

But since you compare pretty different models, I'm inclined to call some variation in flipping technique "expectable" and the presumed adaptation requirement "understandable". Sadly, I've witnessed rather noticeable detent variations within almost any Shiro production model, not sure if it happens to CDs/collabs as well.


Anyway, I've acquired my first Quant_i_um to wash away the bitterness of the recent lottery. Not nearly as desirable as Russian Lochsa, but rare and suitable for EDC 🙃 And not as boring as a common Ursus G10/Cromax version.

AFAIK there was only a single batch of top-tier Quantiums made about a year ago for a knife show in Moscow:
-- 3.4 mm S90V blade ground down very close to the pivot
-- Alutex presentation scale
-- Ti backspacer
-- skeletonized lock-scale, fully stonewashed (thank God, without inlay or "chaotic" satin)
-- MRBS
-- 112 g (3.95 oz) -- almost as lightweight as Hati Gen 3, which is inlaid

P.S. I've just noticed, the blade is "sterile" -- the ShiroBear logo is stamped on the inner side of the backspacer instead.

Quantium-Alutex-s90v-front.jpg


Not sure if the pocket clip and backspace are anodized, seems like a combination of beadblast & stonewash:

Quantium-Alutex-s90v-back.jpg
 
Last edited:
Those Arsenal exclusives always tend to be a cool version of the various models. I personally prefer Titanium over the composite handles but Alutex is gorgeous - and it looks much better as a full scale than an inlay (imo).

3.4mm s90v sounds very nice too!
 
Bacchus said:
Unfortunately I've never had any of those collabs in my possession to chime in with my own opinion about the deployment nuances. Nor did I have a chance to handle the original US-made customs.

But since you compare pretty different models, I'm inclined to call some variation in flipping technique "expectable" and the presumed adaptation requirement "understandable". Sadly, I've witnessed rather noticeable detent variations within almost any Shiro production model, not sure if it happens to CDs/collabs as well.


Anyway, I've acquired my first Quant_i_um to wash away the bitterness of the recent lottery. Not nearly as desirable as Russian Lochsa, but rare and suitable for EDC 🙃 And not as boring as a common Ursus G10/Cromax version.

AFAIK there was only a single batch of top-tier Quantiums made about a year ago for a knife show in Moscow:
-- 3.4 mm S90V blade ground down very close to the pivot
-- Alutex presentation scale
-- Ti backspacer
-- skeletonized lock-scale, fully stonewashed (thank God, without inlay or satin)
-- MRBS (it's already a common feature for Ursus line, but a year ago it was not)
-- 112 g (3.95 oz) -- almost as lightweight as Hati Gen 3, which is inlaid

Quantium-Alutex-s90v-front.jpg


Not sure if the pocket clip and backspace are anodized, seems like a combination of beadblast & stonewash:

Quantium-Alutex-s90v-back.jpg
Click to expand...
I could be pretty happy with that Quantium!
 
Pompous said:
Those Arsenal exclusives always tend to be a cool version of the various models. I personally prefer Titanium over the composite handles but Alutex is gorgeous - and it looks much better as a full scale than an inlay (imo).

3.4mm s90v sounds very nice too!
Click to expand...

Thank you! I wouldn't mind a titanium front slab myself, but that would be Quantum and AFAIK there are no plain Jane (nudist?) versions of the full Ti model — only 1M "Righty / Lefty" (Cromax PM, no backspacer).

This one is either Arsenal or ORELEXPO 2023 exclusive.

It's a shame that show editions became almost unobtainable at a table price, they are sold on a FCFS basis and the very first 2-3 guys in the row work for the professional resellers. One of the later is known to rent a booth next to Shirogorov's. Common folks have extremely low chances to buy something special without paying a hefty premium.

DocJekl said:
I could be pretty happy with that Quantium!
Click to expand...

Thanks, I'm very happy myself 🙃

Еspecially after taking the knife apart for a thorough inspection / cleaning and finding out, that it has a Captive Pivot System implemented both for the pivot screw and for the rear one!

Technologically speaking it's more advanced than the latest Hati Gen 3. On the other hand, Hati has 21 balls per side, not 18. But I seriously doubt that 3 extra balls make any practical difference.

Quantium-S90-V-Alutex-taken-apart.jpg


Thanks to CPS I was able to disassemble the pivot with some reasonable efforts — had to use a more powerful gadget than a fancy Shiro tool though. There was unhealthy amount of thread-locker and some traces of corrosion inside the pivot😭

Surprisingly the bearings were almost clean, I suspect the previous owner washed out the black gunk without taking the knife apart. It would explain a tiny bit of side-to-side play (with lock-bar disengaged) I noticed before accepting the deal.

Now the knife is perfectly tuned and ready for EDC. I used PTFE 0.075 mm tape instead of thread-locker.

Quantium-S90-V-Alutex-CPS.jpg
 
Last edited:
A very, very generous friend let me borrow his CDX for a few days so I could check it out and confirm if I was happy with the design before making the plunge to buy my own. I'm sure you all can guess the outcome...

Pictured alongside the Astrum First Production that's been my go-to Shiro since its release. I think the CDX will let me sell the Astrum, frankly. I don't see the need for any other Shirogorov in my collection - but I'm sure that will be short lived.

PXL_20241110_000609082.MP.jpg
PXL_20241110_000727121.MP.jpg
 
Following up with a few thoughts on the RDD and some of what y'all have shared on these last couple pages...

My 2nd generation, CF version is my only Shiro collab and a knife I feel very fortunate to have. I had lusted after the original all-Ti version when it first came out, leeching a pic from the Shiro website and posting it on Page 3 not long after starting this thread back in '16. I must say I like all three versions of this knife, including the later Arctic model and certainly don't think it ugly as some have mentioned--busy, yeah, perhaps just a bit much so for my taste, but certainly a sweet knife and not bad looking by any means.

As far as the action goes, my knife is definitely not in the "fires out like a rocket" category like a ZT or others of that ilk, and is definitely more subdued than my other Shiro's, but it comes out just fine with no wrist and the proper light-switch technique. I find keeping it clean and lightly lubed makes a lot of difference. Just yesterday I found it a little balky and this morning flushed the pivot with alcohol, blew it out with a compressed air can, and added a drop of W10 NanoOil to each side of the pivot.

Back in 2020, old friend mikomonday mikomonday , who is well-versed in all things Shirogorov, and I had a bit of back and forth here about opening action relative to the placement of the flipper tab relative to the center axis of the pivot and its effect on the leverage involved in getting a proper flip. That starts on page 129 and continues with a couple posts further on down the page. His basic contention is that a flipper tab placed rearward of the pivot center will result in a less efficient flip.

Miko also has a vid covering the Arctic RDD, I believe the first on his channel, and talks a bit about the knife's action starting around 15:30 IIRC. Watching that video I was reminded of our friend CPP CPP 's comment here regarding the shortness of the RDD's lockbar as perhaps a contributing factor towards the knife's relatively light detent. It was only after watching Miko's vid that I noticed the lockbar on the Arctic is considerably longer than the earlier version's and that could possibly be a contributing factor to the stiffer detent and snappier action of the Gen 3 knife. CPP is of course familiar with the Gen 2's lockbar as what's now my knife was once his and I'll always be grateful to him for thinking of me when he decided to move it along.

And, as none of this happened without pics....

1731204643342.jpeg

1731204688481.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Bacchus said:
A very attractive folder. I wonder though, why do they tend to install MRBS into Sinkevich models and not SRRBS pretty common for other collabs and CDs.
Click to expand...
Sinkevich himself uses MRBS in his customs still, doesn't he? I'd imagine that's why/part of it. I believe the Sinkevich collabs specifically use the Sinkevich design/pattern of MRBS. James - mikomonday mikomonday - has posted the different MRBS layouts before though I cant recall where and am now struggling to find the picture.
 
Pompous said:
Sinkevich himself uses MRBS in his customs still, doesn't he? I'd imagine that's why/part of it. I believe the Sinkevich collabs specifically use the Sinkevich design/pattern of MRBS. James - mikomonday mikomonday - has posted the different MRBS layouts before though I cant recall where and am now struggling to find the picture.
Click to expand...

Thank you, Pompous Pompous !

I've just found the video "How to Maintain and disassemble Shirogorov Bio" — you're right, the 'Mickey Mouse' pattern (20 balls per side) is easily distinguishable from the standard "spiral" MRBS:

Sinkevich-Bio-MRBS.png
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top