After carrying this thing around for a bit, I feel like it won't break. I trust the mondo titanium linerlock plenty, and the simplicity of design is nice. It has BG-42 steel, which seems very tough. I haven't sharpened it, and it's not shaving anything, but it cuts and penetrates quite well considering how thick the blade it.
Using all of my force, I cannot even make the liner bend under pressure. The damn thing is nearly a fixed blade when locked open. I've often said my Benchmade 722 is built like a tank - If that's true, the Strider AR is built like Fort Knox.
The fit and finish are good for a working blade, the tiger stripes look cool. I know it has been someone's edc for awhile; the blade came with some rust spots on it and it was full of lint.
The G10 is grippy but not tearing up my pockets. It barely fits in my pocket though. :] It makes a fine EDC, just a tad large. I happen to like the heavy feel. the front choil gives you a lot of control over the blade.
It's roughly the same length as my AFCK, except it's twice as thick. The blade shape is very utility oriented, but i do miss the straight/recuved section that is present on many of my knives.
The pivot is very very well built, brass washers, very smooth. Adjustable with an allen wrench just like the rest of the knife (much better than torx adjustments, in my opinion). There is nothing about this knife that doesn't scream SOLID. It even seems to be grinning and saying "Do your worst." The blade snaps out with a satisfying KLACK, akin to pumping a shotgun.
The blade cleans up nicely, the coating is great. I've used it on cardboard, a sandwich, some very thin wire, and various other jobs, it handled them with ease despite being less sharpened.
Handle feels large but not clunky, good it just about any grip.
If I was going to pry something with a knife, I would want a Strider AR.
Pics will come tomorrow.
And of course, the evaluation that matters most. Why pay $350 for a Strider folder? Honestly, I dont know. A production folder like the AFCK is very nice and very fit for the job, or even a closer match would be the Manix (which I don't own) Aside from prying, all of the benefiets of materials, craftsmanship, and waranty can be found on these sub $150 production folders. That being said, the AR would be my folder of choice if I was spending months away from civilization.
The strider also has what I'll call the "Strider Aura" to it. Being a knife geek and knowing that it's a high end folder, I tend to smile when I look at it. My brain says "Mmm, G10, BG42, Titanium."
This knife is purpose driven: "High speed tools for hardcore individuals." It excels at that, it's not intended for a college kid to EDC and do tame things with. That's the impression that I get.
Edit- If you'd like to suggest any "hard use" for me to do, do it before tomorrow afternoon. Be aware that I have no car and am limited to things around the college campus. Pic requests by tomorrow night also.
My current pics plan: All angles, open, and closed. Carried inside pocket. Compared with Benchmade AFCK, Spyderco Calypso Jr, USMC Ka-Bar, standard 12 inch ruler, and something supidly common like a DVD case or CD. In hand in forward and reverse grips. Thickness comparison with a few of my folders. Detail of tang stamps.
Edit - to Blop: Using my hand strength I can't seem to be able to bend the blade, liner, or pivot, torque it in any way, or cause any blade play. Once you see the thickness of the liner and how it contacts the tang, you'll see that it is going nowhere. I can, however, disengage the liner quite easily in the intended way when I do want to close the knife.
