The Best Custom Tactical

anthony cheeseboro

anthony cheeseboro

Joined
Aug 8, 1999
Messages
5,094
I don't know if this has been done before. I am only interested in customs, not production or limited production, so no posts Spyderco Military, Sebenza, etc. Only single author, handmades are to be considered. I own several quality custom tacticals by Kit Carson, John W. Smith, Andre DeVilliers, Mike Obenauf,and Joel Chamblin. The Carson and the two Smiths are a bit large for EDC, so most of my carry is the Chamblin, Obenauf, and DeVilliers. When I want a legal sized but heavy duty knife, my Obenauf Model 2 is my absolute favorite. It really fills my hand nicely and the blade has a great lock up. The blade sharpens easily on my beaten up Sharpmaker. When I want a smaller knife, my DeVilliers Exectac Spearpoint is almost perfect. It also sharpens very easily, opens very easily (it has a thumb stud and it can also be open "flipper" fashion like many South African customs.) The knife is a great work EDC since its blade is 2 3/4" and the OAL is under 7". (This is doubly true since my poor Mnandi bit the dust due to my negligence.)

Both of the knives I mentioned are ATS-34/154CM. What custom tacticals do you all really treasure. Say why they work for you.
 
I would like to say that my Chamblin is great knife also. It has a 440V blade, titanium scales, and carbon fiber scales. It is great also but it somehow always seemed a bit to pretty or slick for EDC.
 
I'd have to say that my Darrel Ralph EDC, 3.5", Ti scales "floats my boat". The 420V blade cuts like crazy and is easy to maintain and the recurved edge slices through just about anything with ease.

Also, the Crawford Falcon, the large and Mini version fulfills both EDC and heavy use requirements.
 
Not an educated reply, just an opinion.

I've carried a number of knives, all of which either pissed me off for one reason or another (production folders) and I finally decided it was time to "upgrade".

I've carried, used, and abused my newest knife. To the point where I had to email the maker the other day and express my thanks (again) for such an excellent design (in my opinion, of course).

The knife in question is a Tom Anderson Sandpiper. Titanium handles, maroon micarta scales, BG-42 wharncliffe blade.

Guess I'd have to say this is what "floats my boat".
 
When my Darrel Ralph Mad Maxx comes in, I'll post my thoughts about it. So far, I understand the lockup is quite amazing. (Frame lock, similar to Sebenza) I had to get the 4" blade, though, due to local restrictions. Bummer. The knife looks rad in 5.5" dagger blade. Stay tuned.
 
Fixed: Snody Ronin- proper right hand chisel grind, BG-42, JSP Riggercoated in black and green.

I love this knife because of its no nonsense design. With the riggercoat I can easily hide it in plain site, so it's always with me. It's also very flat and light, so its a pleasure to tote.

Folder: Snody Resistor- double hollow ground, S30V, black and blue G-10 scales, ultra thick steely purple anodized Ti liners.

I love this folder for its beautiful asthetics, and for its function. The no frills handle shape fits my mitt extremely well, and the thick liner lock is just about as foolproof as one could hope for. I love everything about it from its tip-down clip position to it's oversized thumbstuds. Awesome!
 
Darrel Ralph's CF EDC is my most carried folder. I wrote up a review of it last October- http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=175039&highlight=EDC
Still going strong, and looking good.
I picked up a Rinaldi TTKK and a DDR CF ALB at Blade. These are some wonderful knives (S30V rules, btw). Both are cutting machines, and though their designs are very different, are both great "all-around" knives. Most of my comments about the EDC blade are true of the ALB, except it's double ground, and has a really fine tip. Great penetration and slicing ability.
The thinly ground TTKK simply outcuts anything I've ever used-'nuf said.
I love Darrel's recurves, and Trace's flat grinds. My two favorite style knives. I've got the smaller versions, the CF ArcLite, and a Gambit, as well. There's nothing I'd rather be carrying.
Great user blades that look good, too.
Can't think of anything negative to say about any of them.
 
There are a lot of nice ones, but I think my favorite is the ATCF by Bob Terzuola. I have always loved the look and the feel of this knife and it has just gotten better and better over the years. The last few I have seen have been outstanding.
 
Carson small Model 4. For an edc it is just the right size, not too big and not too small. The handle fits my hand just right and is very comfortable to carry and more inportant to use for a long time. The clip point blade is very useful for many different cutting tasks. It hasn't left my pocket or hand since I got it.
 
when it comes to knives that can get the tactical type jobs done then i think joel has some of the best designs out there.

if i really wanted a custom Tactical, i would order one of my own design, i would have someone make me a ti framelock, with CF inlays, a handle based on the commander a blade based on the AFCK, with an opening hole and a thumb disk.
 
my favs are the Crawford Kasper folding Ti fighter, the Crawford Perfigo, and the Darrel Ralph Madd Maxx mini spearpoint/talonite blade.

like the kasper because it really fits my hand well, as most of bobs stuff does, we must have the same size hands, the maxx has the neatest opening system, the horns on the side of the blade, will work like a wave, and the frame lock is the bomb too imho, very strong. the perfigo is another kasper design executed by the master pat crawford, w/a 4.5" blade, i want one because i bet it fits my hand well.

also wanna get a full size ralph maxx, have a cammilus maxx and often carry it in my back pocket and wave it open. amazes my buds lol, and works well enuff imho.

so my next purchase is gonna be a perfigo then a maxx, as soon as i can. all it takes is $$, right??

greg
 
My favorite custom EDC has to be Ed Caffrey's Progression II. Slim, light, strong, sharp and loaded with character. It is extremely comfortable to carry and use, polished G-10 scales for durability, heat colored liners and screws (also fileworked) for good looks and a gorgeous 3/32", flat ground, forged 52-100 blade with a double temper line that tapers to a very thin razors edge. While this knife is not made to pry open windows or leave gapping "wound channels" :rolleyes: , I would put it up against just about anything in pure cutting ability. Back this up with workmanship expected from a Master Smith and price it under a Sebenza. Sound too good to be true? Well it's not.
 
I may be slightly off topic, but how are y'all calling these knives "custom?" I realize they are coming from custom makers, but are y'all talking to the maker and having one of a kind alterations made to them? I could agree with hand built or even hand assembled. This is the same argument I get into with bikers and their Harley "factory customs." There is no such thing. If a custom maker is making a line of knives that are identical then, in my opinion, they are no longer custom.

By the way I'm not degrading the quality of these knives or the makers, just disagreeing with what they're called.
 
I'm simply going with the operative definition of custom as it is used on the Custom Forum. As I'm sure you know, there have been endless threads on this topic. Personally, I have had knives specially made although I don't know if you would consider them true customs because the changes I requested were within the maker's standard list of options, kind of like getting the dealer to send you the car you want. BTW, Burkstar, do you have favorite custom?
 
I didn't do a search of old threads before deviating from this thread...sorry about that. Yes I do, a local maker from Tucson, Don Norris. Besides some extremely nice fixed blades he makes some autos that are absolutely great.

Just for my edification, at what point does a "custom" maker become a "production" maker...i.e. Chris Reeves?
 
Neil Blackwood small hybrid, Phil Boguszewski Wegner designed framelock, and Mike Obenauf large model 2 framelock.
 
I guess that would be my ONLY handmade "tactical" folder - Elishewitz "King", large version (3.5 inch blade).

Very lightweight and a semi-wharncliff blade - one of my favorite (if not my favorite) shapes for my real world EDC uses.

Probably the best thing is that the handle is large enough that it completely fills my hand in a natural saber grip, making it extraordinarily comfortable to handle. Unlike many other tactical folder designs, this one is not made of flat slabs of material.

I concede that it is not as "concealable" as some others might be, but that is really not an issue for me.

My only suggestion for improvement would be to get a true custom job with a Spyderhole.
 
The two custom folders that have been rotation for my EDC have been a Terzuola ATCF with ti bolsters and desert ironwood sccales, and a large Carson Model 4(since mine went MIA, I ahve got another on the way). Both of these folders are built very well and work well for the applications in which I use them for. i ahve never worried about damaging either of these knives, and they do a fair amount of cutting. Two knives from two makers that the enduser would be very happy with.

The blade steel on the ATCF is ATS 34, while the Carson was 154CM( I think).

I own folders from several different makers, and these are the two that I abuse the most. I almost forgot, I also abuse a Lightfoot 460 Magnum when I am able to as well.
 
Dave Broadwell LDC-107
JW Smith RC and MRC's.
Terzuola ATCF.
Carson Model 4 medium.
Ralph EDC in 420V.
Lightfoot Suppressor.
Small Sebenza in a pouch.

Not necessarily in any definable order, as they each have their attributes ...
 
Mayo medium TNT (folder)
RJ Martin Kozuka (fixed)

There are many others but these are the current favs:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top