The Bears' Den--Shirogorov Showcase

I understand and respect Blues opinion, I find his posts well reasoned and informed. If my first one was bad I would probably feel the same way. I just ordered another Neon in M390 to go with the one in S90V. The other shiro's are to big for me for office pocket carry. These knifes have spoiled me to the point of not buying anything else. The action is the best I have ever handled but in all fairness I have only really been into knifes for a year. I bought the WE 707 on Massdrop and sold it the same day I received it. I got a FF falcon coming in later this year I hope it works for me. There are lots of knives I would like to try but am afraid I would just be disappointed. Everyone has different tastes that's why there are millions of different brands, blade styles and color combo's. To each his own.
 
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Thin-Slice said:
I am sure its just a bad apple, I have handled pretty much majority of the Shiros (production), 95T, F95 inlay, F3, Neon, Hati and ALL had a superb flipping action. I did have a bad apple which until that moment I didn't think it was possible but I fixed it easily. For steel insert on lockbar there should not be any lockstick but there was. The surface finish on the steel insert wasn't completely flat so I touched it up on a ceramic stone veryyyyy slightly to take of the high points and VIOLA no lockstick.

HOWEVER, as a general rule I would definitely agree that a $1k knife should be simply PERFECT. Having to ship to Russia then get charged for delivery back is not right imo for something that shouldn't have been a problem to begin with. Its a shame but sometimes experience like that can ruin a brand all together for some folks.

Even the tiniest little detail matters to me. Here is a slightly off topic comment. I will not buy any ZT (or any other brand really) simply because cannot stand all the writing on the blade. I like my blades as sterile as possible, but that's just me.
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They charge for return shipping on warranty work?

That sucks about your Shiro Blues, I was expecting you to love it and convert from Rockstead to Shirogorov.
 
I might be too critical about my example of the F3, but I've never had such a poor experience with any knife. Especially from a brand that is held to such high standards. I paid $700 or $800 (can't remember exactly) for a knife with industry-standard materials, subpar flipping action, and a cracked blade. If people can't understand my frustration, then they simply don't know what $700-800 can get you in the knife world.
 
I believe Rocksteads warranty work charges for shipping both ways at least one way to Japan, Might be a little different shipping to Russia but either way time consuming and expensive.
 
Blues Bender said:
I might be too critical about my example of the F3, but I've never had such a poor experience with any knife. Especially from a brand that is held to such high standards. I paid $700 or $800 (can't remember exactly) for a knife with industry-standard materials, subpar flipping action, and a cracked blade. If people can't understand my frustration, then they simply don't know what $700-800 can get you in the knife world.
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Even though I'm a big Shiro fan and am really pleased with my knives, I certainly get where you're coming from, Blues. You spend some pretty big bucks for a knife, find it has a cracked blade, and are underwhelmed by its action, well I probably wouldn't be into Shiros now if that was my first knife from them. I don't know what Shirogorov's repair/warranty policies are, but the thought of sending a knife from here through Russian customs seems out of the question. Having two shipped here from over there was nerve-wracking enough for me.

My F3 is neck-and-neck with my F95T as the best flipper I've ever handled. Maybe that's just me and maybe you just got a bad one, and certainly shouldn't have at that price point. Regardless, no way should you have to justify your opinions or actions to anyone here.
 
Yeah sucks for Blues- I am continually impressed with my F3- can't come up with a single qualifier to the contrary. It's my every day carry work knife. I'm having trouble with a Rockstead Chi that is aggravating and disappointing for a near $ 800.00 knife. Warranty work costs for S&H - both ways - and the time without the knife just make me BLUE o_O. I will likely NOT buy another Rockstead but at this date would certainly consider another SHIRO - just not the one Blues had.:rolleyes:

Oh well ...

Ray
 
RayseM said:
Yeah sucks for Blues- I am continually impressed with my F3- can't come up with a single qualifier to the contrary. It's my every day carry work knife. I'm having trouble with a Rockstead Chi that is aggravating and disappointing for a near $ 800.00 knife. Warranty work costs for S&H - both ways - and the time without the knife just make me BLUE o_O. I will likely NOT buy another Rockstead but at this date would certainly consider another SHIRO - just not the one Blues had.:rolleyes:

Oh well ...

Ray
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Thanks for the sarcasm...
I was willing to offer advice about your Rockstead, but I'll just let you figure it out yourself:)
 
What sarcasm?????? I am completely genuine. I think this really sucks. I would be POd and negative too if I were in your shoes. I like my Shiro and I was honestly disappointed that you had such a bad product experience. No sarcasm Brother - perhaps just badly expressed empathy. Sorry - no bad intended.

Ray
 
Well as long as we're talking about F3s, here's the knife that started it all some 668 posts back--my Python Micarta in S30V from the OP here at the Den. Seems a rather pedestrian steel, but Shirogorov does a good job with it and it takes a wicked keen edge. My knife is a user, though not a hard user like my Turtle, the edge seems to hold reasonably well, and it comes back very easily. Maybe my best flipper, too.

I'm the third owner on this one, though the knife was LNIB when it came to me. I traced the lineage of it back to the initial sale and this is one of a few original dealer pics I found of this particular favorite of mine.

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I have seen knives with all kind of issues. No one brand can churn out 100% "perfect" knives all the time.
But to equate the price with how it must be perfect is a little subjective.

All those special collectible tiers aside and not looking at those cut throat dealer websites there, price of prodo Shiro are mostly inflated outside of Russia. Good deals can be found on their forums there and even a couple of sites that sells mostly new ones. Of course one cannot escape the risk of shipping. But generally I have never had a problem, shipping wise-- maybe 30-35 packages over the last 2 years. Except for one that was sent back to sender from their customs and had to be shipped out a second time to me.

Sending them back, yes, that is a pain. Never had a major issue like crack blade so most time I am actually able to fix them up after getting spare bits if needed and been doing it for a number of folks near to me.

Anyway the topics can go on forever -- better to have a little fun.. When it comes to cutting.. I really cannot fault my new Rockstead... the F95 that follows in the video isn't shabby-- i had it sharpened to exactly the way I want but gotta say the Higo here was miles ahead with that factory edge.

Here-- after fixing up a newer micarta F3 and having a little fun... tuning knives to " perfect smooth" alone wasn't enough of a challenge by now :)
No tricks... no table bumping etc.. just finger snapping it down
 
Well, I guess the Bears are all out of the Den for the summer, foraging and fattening up for winter, as they haven't made many appearances here lately. I was out back and was lucky to snap a couple pics of the rare and elusive tree-climbing Turtle. Note how he carefully hides his expensive Ti-beaded tail from predators.

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I always have an orange knife on me when negotiating the fields and woods up at our Vermont acreage. The bright color makes for a great homing beacon for drops or should the knife get set down. Now honestly, I usually have something less expensive on me, like my Endura, but I went with the orange theme for the trip up and back this time too and had had my Hati clipped in my right front when we headed north last week. The Case Sodbuster Jr came along as a second carry in the bottom of my left.

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I have been in the knife hobby for a while but never got into Shiros, being worried that they were overpriced. That all changed a month ago and I'm heavily bitten by the Shiro bug after acquiring a NeON S90V. What an amazing blade it is!

More recently, I have an opportunity to acquire a HatiON. Does anyone have insights or more details on this? It looks to be an upgraded custom division NeON, but anything else that is notable? And for the same price of around $3k, would you guys consider another model? Many thanks and hope to post photos soon
 
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