The Bears' Den--Shirogorov Showcase

^^^Thanks. Woodworking is my thing. Knives are my excuse to do a little woodworking, and my main outlet for my knife hobby is making custom handles. 3rd generation woodworker... you cut my arm off and sawdust would pour out.
 
TRfromMT TRfromMT wanted some more looks at the staircase in my Shiro pics of a couple days ago, so here's more for him with some Shiros hiding here and there so as not to stray too far OT. Like you, I'm also obviously a wood worker, TR, though at my age if you cut off my head, sawdust would pour out.

The staircase is two stories, four flights in an open well with quarry tile landings, tall built in shelves over cabinets, and a two-story glass-block wall up one side. The ceilings are very high with conventional framing surrounding and applied over a lam-beam superstructure. Here's the bottom heading up from the finished basement which is a partial walkout.

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NeOn UL on the handrail termination detail.

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Pic taken from the first flight of the SS upright detail--2 pieces of quarter inch spaced by and bolted to a quarter inch bracket welded to the stringer.

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The transition from the first-flight to second-flight handrail. By keeping the first tread in each flight in plane with the landing, I was able to avoid adding a gooseneck to each transition. That detail is echoed in the four outboard terminations opposite the glass block wall and at the bottom of the inboard rail as shown above.

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Here's the fourth-flight rail at the outboard side shouldered around the drywall corner.

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The SS tabs that support the radiused sloped slats are drilled and tapped to accept the machine screws that are counter-bored into the slats. Lots of hugely PIA work as there are several hundred of those connections inside and out.

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A look down at flight two and up at three and four. My client's late husband--a dear friend--added the gates at the first and second floor to protect his grandchildren.

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Looking back down from the top, you can see the sloped rail terminating into the horizontal which runs through hoop brackets screwed to a longleaf board top with a shadow detail to the corner-beaded parapet wall. The center handrail is continuous and comprises seventeen separate pieces.

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The opposite parapet wall trasitions into a horizontal rail set into hoop tops and an offset horizontal slat detail. The steel components on the horizontal rails are all sandblasted while the sloped components all have a brushed finish. My second pair of hands and I took a lot of skin off our four hand-sanding all the uprights and stringers.

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A look down the second floor hall/balcony which has a view out the front awning windows and down into the first floor.

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A gratuitous shot of a small detail...

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...and an actual knife pic of a couple Russian cousins.

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Ok, woke up this morning and lost my mind. Considering buying a Shiro. Now, there is no way I will spend $1000 but I see a gray micarta inlay model for I $695. Guess that is there budget line. How does it compare to the high end mbrs models? The one I am looking at is srbs. Significantly noticeable lower action, finish, etc? If is then I will just skip a Shiro altogether I think.

Just curious thoughts on those before I venture into this unknown territory. Thx.
 
Mrgauth said:
Ok, woke up this morning and lost my mind. Considering buying a Shiro. Now, there is no way I will spend $1000 but I see a gray micarta inlay model for I $695. Guess that is there budget line. How does it compare to the high end mbrs models? The one I am looking at is srbs. Significantly noticeable lower action, finish, etc? If is then I will just skip a Shiro altogether I think.

Just curious thoughts on those before I venture into this unknown territory. Thx.
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The F95NL is the model you're looking at. It's what's considered a "One Bear" model now, although that designation is not used on the knives sold here in North America by Shiro's only authorized dealer. One Bear knives are similar in features to the F95s that were made up until about a couple years ago. The new runs of 95s and F3s are Three Bears and have the R designation for "renewed".

The older knives, like the new NL you're looking at, ran on SRBS (single row bearings), had no internal weight reduction milling, and no underlay washers. The NL is identical in features to my older F95 Turtle excepting the NL has an Elmax blade and no jimping. Of my half-dozen Shiros, the Turtle is a particular favorite. It has great flipping action and free drops closed. My MRBS knives are smoother, but the SRBS are quicker. F&F is outstanding--no Shiro is lacking in that department.

I've heard nothing but good things about the F95NL and raves about the feel in hand of the inlays. I don't have any Shiros in that steel, but my understanding is that they do a superior job with it. If I was in the market for a new Bear at this point I might well jump all over that knife as it seems lots of bang for the buck.
 
Mrgauth said:
Ok, woke up this morning and lost my mind. Considering buying a Shiro. Now, there is no way I will spend $1000 but I see a gray micarta inlay model for I $695. Guess that is there budget line. How does it compare to the high end mbrs models? The one I am looking at is srbs. Significantly noticeable lower action, finish, etc? If is then I will just skip a Shiro altogether I think.

Just curious thoughts on those before I venture into this unknown territory. Thx.
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Don’t let the price fool you, it’s still a Shirogorov that’s well made. The difference is as ChazzyP ChazzyP said, it doesn’t have the detailed features that the others have. In a blind fold test, you probably can’t tell the difference between Elmax and M390. I’ve got the one you’re looking at in the green micarta. Personally, I can’t tell much of a difference between the single row bearings and the multi row bearings and I’ve got both. To me, the real difference in smoothness is when you jump to the custom division Shirogorov’s or the collaboration knives.
You won’t regret owning one. But be warned, it will change your mind about how flippers should be and you might find yourself selling some of your other knives for yet another Shirogorov.
 
I've been checking it out over at USN and it has so many great details, CPP CPP . It really is a true collab with lots of Shiro and Barker to it. Very sweet. Did you enter?

As much as I like it, I'm not signed up. I've only bought one knife since last June and am pretty much of a mind that I'll be selling before buying. I've got an awful lot here to enjoy and am doing just that before I figure out what stays and what goes.
 
Wow, I love that collab knife, how would one enter the lottery, and would you have an idea of how much you would need if ya won?

Ive had my 111 in Elmax, and I love the steel. Honestly dont need another folder... but if they did a 111 with micarta handles i would have to land one. I think the knives your looking at at that price point are probably very nice.

Beautiful F3 Jeronimo!
 
Thorns said:
Wow, I love that collab knife, how would one enter the lottery, and would you have an idea of how much you would need if ya won?
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The lottery is done by Recon1 who will receive 100 of the knives while the other 100 will remain in Russia where Shirogorov will do the lottery. The Hokkaido is $1,700.
 
TRfromMT said:
Hmmmm.... pass. Love the blade, not so much the handle. Too much going on. I'd love to know if all that lock-bar looking stuff serves a function, or is merely for show.
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The handle shape can be adjusted. If I remember correctly only 8 were made.
 
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