Timberline Envoy-I'm bleeding

T

Trent

Joined
May 4, 2000
Messages
79
Nice knife. I got it from edge_resources for 32. something shipped off of ebay. Finish and fit are great for this price point. Came very sharp out of the box, acceptable edge holding. Resharpened easily. Nice ergonomics. Only problem is the liner lock doesn't engage all the way when opened lightly. I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt by giving it the spine whack test after a hard open under which the lock seemed to engage fully. I am not real happy right now because I am bleeding. I held the knife by the very end when I whacked it so it only got the web of my hand. But still, I don't really like being cut. The knife is going back to Timberline tommorow.

Anyone tried the Gerber SLK? It's my next choice for a cheapy. BTW, I bought this knife because I was looking for a decent user with self-defense applications that it wouldn't be a tradgedy to lose. Suggestions welcome.

Trent
 
Hi, Trent. Sorry to hear about the injury.

Since you indicated that suggestions are welcome ... The Ka-Bar Dozier Folding Hunter is a LOT of knife for the money, and might fit your requirements. Like most decent lockbacks, the lock is almost certainly stronger and more reliable than most linerlocks in the same price range. I've been very pleased with mine, and can honestly say that it compares favorably with many knives costing more than twice as much. See:

http://www.midwayusa.com/rewriteaproduct/318864
 
It looks kind've "round." I want something that won't come out of my hand easily. Other than that it looks good. I'm looking at CRKT M18, CRKT M16, CRKT Kasper, Spyderco Endura, Kershaw Avalanche (getting pricey, I know), and...the MTECH Grunt.

It does seem that it's impossible to consistently get good linerlocks at a sub-benchmade price point. And you even hear about bad emersons and microtechs on here. I couldn't believe this thing closed on me though. It really looked like it was fully engaged, even though it wasn't in the middle, but the liner wasn't hanging off the back of the blade at all. Everybody says Timberline makes good knives, I can't believe they'd let one out of the factory like this. Had I been using instead of testing I could have cut myself pretty seriously-the lock disengages fairly easily under hard grip. In fact I was writing a glowing review of the knife when I decided to test the lock before giving the knife a "good" rating.

I'm hesitant to buy anything expensive when Microtech mini-socom elite manuals are supposed to be out soon. Anyway enough blabbing.

Later,

Trent
 
Of course this is just an opinion, but I find the ergonomics of the Ka-Bar Dozier to be excellent; even so in a reverse or "ice pick" type grip, if you really felt the need to stab something like that. Held normally, in a hammer or saber grip, it's very secure, very comfortable to use.

FYI, the Ka-Bar collaboration is very similar Bob Dozier's handmade folding hunter -- even though it costs over 93% less than Dozier's most basic model! -- so it's a proven design. See:

http://www.dozierknives.com/folding.html

Not to be sounding like a sales pitch here, but the Ka-Bar Dozier even won Blade International's "Best Buy Knife of the Year" for 2003. I also believe BFC member Buzzbait said he gave one to his father or father-in-law, and that he liked it better than the Spyderco he had been carrying.

Is it the perfect knife? Nope. Is it nuclear tough? No. Does it compare to a Benchmade in D2, a Spyderco in S30V, or a Sebenza? Again, no. But among knives I'm familiar with in the $40 and under range ... man, it's a really decent, high-quality knife.
 
Thanks Dave, I think I'm going to try one out. For a 20 spot, how can you lose?

-Trent
 
Just a suggestion, next time you give it the ol' spine wack,try wrapping the knife handle in cloth and put it in a vice. Hit the spine with something like a rubber mallet or whatever else.

Cutting the webbing sucks, but tendon would be worse.

Also, i just sent my Kershaw boa off to the factory because i could over power it with my hands closing it slip joint style. Quite dissapointing, i hope it returns in better shape.

-redstripe_808
 
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