- Joined
- Oct 8, 1998
- Messages
- 8,917
Well...after 300 recorded, hard snap openings on the SIFU I snatched from Bob T. in Atlanta in June...this thing has passed with flying colors any sort of abuse I could put it through.
On almost any snap opening, I use the pocket clip as an anchor point so I get an Ultra-Reliable Opening.
Now, let me first state that I have heard others say that you should never snap any folder open as you can flatten the Stop Pin. Well, heh heh heh, they say that even though Makers use hardened pins, you can still flatten them. Maybe the SIFU is designed to prevent this or maybe Bob T. just picked the right steel and temperment.
I have inspected this thing with a light and a 25X Loupe, there is absolutely no flattening on any pin in the knife that is visible without disasembly. Period.
I have snapped this knife violently 300 times and the number is growing. What have I encountered?
Lateral blade play that was easily tightened up and was not evident until about 200+ Openings were reached. It was not wobbly as some knives get, but plainly evident and this was because of the Hard Openings and not the fault of the knife.
When I say I opened this knife violently 300+ times (now), I mean it.
I have done three (3) Basic Openings in a very hard, violent manner.
#1 Right out of the pocket and you bring the knife up beside you and stop it short and hard to present it your arm is out and parallel with the floor. The edge is facing towards the floor upon opening.
#2 The Circular Snap. Holding the knife firmly and always with the pocket clip as an anchor and index point with your knife hand, the back of the edge faces the floor, meaning your palm is facing the floor. You twist your palm from down to the floor in the rest position, quickly and sharply to palm up in a half circular, crescent opening that is very fast. And very hard on a knife too. Upon opening, there is a great amount of torque placed on the pivot area.
#3 The Slap-Check Opening. Hold the knife as above with a little bit of relaxation in the wrist of the knife-arm, bring it up quick and slap check your own forearm with your off, "live" hand. This is possibly the hardest of all because you are really throwing the brakes on abruptly and a tremendous amount of force is exerted on the knife during this opening. Some say it is for flash...let them say what they will. It works and you can go right to edge or point immediately. There are many "hidden" assets to this presentation as well that are better discussed elsewhere in a Tactical Thread.
I finally worked one of the Hex screws out today and it dropped on the floor. The violent snapping and vibration that comes with it finally had taken its toll on this fine knife. I picked the screw up and put it back in, tightened it all up, all of them, re-tightened the pivot pin, lubricated it, cleaned the whole liner/blade lock-up area with Q-Tips and here it is, good as new and ready to rock.
I started snapping the thing open again, we are at over 30 already and there is no sign of any blade play or looseness.
The screw falling out was my fault because that is the way I open my SIFU and is not indicative of low Q.C. on REKAT's part, but the exact opposite. It is indicative of a Quality piece of work on REKAT's part because other knives, even in a higher price range, would have fallen apart for the screws coming out by now.
This knife is a tank that drives like a Corvette. It is tough as nails, yet slicker than a race car. I really like this knife.
The one grip screw that fell out, for those that are curious, is the first one next to the pivot pin on the clip side of the knife. And it is a righty.
Now, if anyone thinks that is poor performance...WOW! I don't know what to tell you. Buy a Fixed Blade or something, damn, you cannot be pleased.
As Jerry VanCook has written in Tactical Knives Magazine and Bob T. has written and told me, this is a knife of many grips, choked up, middle ground or laid back...forward or reverse grip. This knife does it all very well.
It is sharp as a well-kept straight razor and the curves on this knife are pleasing to the eye and effective.
It goes to point well, slashes are awesome, it pierces like a needle and snap cuts. What else can I say?
Yeah, it is huge too, I forgot that.
The guys at work have one expression when they see my Slap-Check Opening with this huge folder...
On almost any snap opening, I use the pocket clip as an anchor point so I get an Ultra-Reliable Opening.
Now, let me first state that I have heard others say that you should never snap any folder open as you can flatten the Stop Pin. Well, heh heh heh, they say that even though Makers use hardened pins, you can still flatten them. Maybe the SIFU is designed to prevent this or maybe Bob T. just picked the right steel and temperment.
I have inspected this thing with a light and a 25X Loupe, there is absolutely no flattening on any pin in the knife that is visible without disasembly. Period.
I have snapped this knife violently 300 times and the number is growing. What have I encountered?
Lateral blade play that was easily tightened up and was not evident until about 200+ Openings were reached. It was not wobbly as some knives get, but plainly evident and this was because of the Hard Openings and not the fault of the knife.
When I say I opened this knife violently 300+ times (now), I mean it.
I have done three (3) Basic Openings in a very hard, violent manner.
#1 Right out of the pocket and you bring the knife up beside you and stop it short and hard to present it your arm is out and parallel with the floor. The edge is facing towards the floor upon opening.
#2 The Circular Snap. Holding the knife firmly and always with the pocket clip as an anchor and index point with your knife hand, the back of the edge faces the floor, meaning your palm is facing the floor. You twist your palm from down to the floor in the rest position, quickly and sharply to palm up in a half circular, crescent opening that is very fast. And very hard on a knife too. Upon opening, there is a great amount of torque placed on the pivot area.
#3 The Slap-Check Opening. Hold the knife as above with a little bit of relaxation in the wrist of the knife-arm, bring it up quick and slap check your own forearm with your off, "live" hand. This is possibly the hardest of all because you are really throwing the brakes on abruptly and a tremendous amount of force is exerted on the knife during this opening. Some say it is for flash...let them say what they will. It works and you can go right to edge or point immediately. There are many "hidden" assets to this presentation as well that are better discussed elsewhere in a Tactical Thread.
I finally worked one of the Hex screws out today and it dropped on the floor. The violent snapping and vibration that comes with it finally had taken its toll on this fine knife. I picked the screw up and put it back in, tightened it all up, all of them, re-tightened the pivot pin, lubricated it, cleaned the whole liner/blade lock-up area with Q-Tips and here it is, good as new and ready to rock.
I started snapping the thing open again, we are at over 30 already and there is no sign of any blade play or looseness.
The screw falling out was my fault because that is the way I open my SIFU and is not indicative of low Q.C. on REKAT's part, but the exact opposite. It is indicative of a Quality piece of work on REKAT's part because other knives, even in a higher price range, would have fallen apart for the screws coming out by now.
This knife is a tank that drives like a Corvette. It is tough as nails, yet slicker than a race car. I really like this knife.
The one grip screw that fell out, for those that are curious, is the first one next to the pivot pin on the clip side of the knife. And it is a righty.
Now, if anyone thinks that is poor performance...WOW! I don't know what to tell you. Buy a Fixed Blade or something, damn, you cannot be pleased.
As Jerry VanCook has written in Tactical Knives Magazine and Bob T. has written and told me, this is a knife of many grips, choked up, middle ground or laid back...forward or reverse grip. This knife does it all very well.
It is sharp as a well-kept straight razor and the curves on this knife are pleasing to the eye and effective.
It goes to point well, slashes are awesome, it pierces like a needle and snap cuts. What else can I say?
Yeah, it is huge too, I forgot that.
The guys at work have one expression when they see my Slap-Check Opening with this huge folder...