Vaquero Grande blade too thin?
- Thread starter Seb
- Start date
...I have a Grande and alot of the x-tra large, clip, tanto and Gunsites. The Grande has a narrow blade of about an inch, so its not to thin in its profile to be percieved as weak, and I think it has plenty of penetrating ability. Yes I think there tips are thin also and I'm none to fond of aus8 s.steel either, VG10 would be a better choice. I have noticed, that when a side ways twisted motion is applied it will warp the blade easily with the x-large clip blades I have, they are abit wide. .....Ironhorse....
Jim March
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Well in it's favor, it's flat-ground instead of hollow. That means a tougher blade for it's thickness. And AUS8 isn't at all bad for toughness either; it won't hold an edge quite like ATS34 but it's resistance to breakage ("snap stress") is quite high.
If it was thicker, the enormous momentum from snapopens might slowly deform the Zytel grip, causing looseness, insecure lock strength or other ills. And it wouldn't feel as "fast in the hand".
Upshot: I think Lynn Thomson got the CSVG's "balance" of price/performance/toughness down pretty well. If you want a "nearly unbreakable megafolder", the next step up is the Sifu, especially with the new D2-M steel. But having carried the CSVG for several years, I would still put faith in it if I was without my Sifu. While no longer "king of the megafolders", the CSVG is still one hell of a weapon.
Jim
If it was thicker, the enormous momentum from snapopens might slowly deform the Zytel grip, causing looseness, insecure lock strength or other ills. And it wouldn't feel as "fast in the hand".
Upshot: I think Lynn Thomson got the CSVG's "balance" of price/performance/toughness down pretty well. If you want a "nearly unbreakable megafolder", the next step up is the Sifu, especially with the new D2-M steel. But having carried the CSVG for several years, I would still put faith in it if I was without my Sifu. While no longer "king of the megafolders", the CSVG is still one hell of a weapon.
Jim
glockman99
RIP Dann, you were a good guy.
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Seb,
Thin tips mean sharp tips. Besides, they are NOT ment for prying with. (I think Cold Steel mentions this in their Catalog.).
.
Ironhorse,
Sorry to "hear" that you don't like the AUS-8A steel that Cold Steel uses. Personally, I LOVE it, as MY AUS-8A CS knives DON'T rust, are RAZOR SHARP (I CAN honestly shave with them), stay sharp, and are very easy to "re-sharpen" with my Spyderco Sharpmaker.
.
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Dann Fassnacht
Aberdeen, WA
glockman99@hotmail.com
ICQ# 53675663
Thin tips mean sharp tips. Besides, they are NOT ment for prying with. (I think Cold Steel mentions this in their Catalog.).
Ironhorse,
Sorry to "hear" that you don't like the AUS-8A steel that Cold Steel uses. Personally, I LOVE it, as MY AUS-8A CS knives DON'T rust, are RAZOR SHARP (I CAN honestly shave with them), stay sharp, and are very easy to "re-sharpen" with my Spyderco Sharpmaker.
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Dann Fassnacht
Aberdeen, WA
glockman99@hotmail.com
ICQ# 53675663
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VG does not have a 1/8" (3.125mm) blade.
My El Vaquero (shorter version of VG) has a 3.5mm blade. Unless they've changed, the Grande version have 4mm blades.
My El Vaquero (shorter version of VG) has a 3.5mm blade. Unless they've changed, the Grande version have 4mm blades.
Esav Benyamin
MidniteSuperMod
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I've carried a VG on my hikes for a few years now. I walk a nature trail and around a local lake, and I like to clear vines and thorns from around the trail. I also cleared vines up to an inch in diameter from some of the trees that were dying from them.
The VG chopped through the heaviest of them like an axe. The edge held up really well, no chipping out, although some of the tiny serrations aren't very pretty now. I don't even really sharpen it, just hit it with a pocket steel on the flat side, to straighten the edge.
One day I saw a robin caught against a branch, and realized it was wrapped in fishing line. I pushed the tip of the VG between the leg and the fishing line, which it popped right through, releasing the bird. That seemingly delicate tip was a razor, despite the abuse the knife had been taking.
The VG chopped through the heaviest of them like an axe. The edge held up really well, no chipping out, although some of the tiny serrations aren't very pretty now. I don't even really sharpen it, just hit it with a pocket steel on the flat side, to straighten the edge.
One day I saw a robin caught against a branch, and realized it was wrapped in fishing line. I pushed the tip of the VG between the leg and the fishing line, which it popped right through, releasing the bird. That seemingly delicate tip was a razor, despite the abuse the knife had been taking.
Thanks for the information. I am in fact trying to choose between the sifu and VG. The VG is of course much cheaper, but the sifu's steel is much better... on the other hand, I read about the sifu not being very out-of-the-box-sharp and quality control problems at rekat... is that true?
BTW... about the VG's blade thickness... the homepage says 3.5 mm and in the text they say 1/8"...
Seb
[This message has been edited by Seb (edited 12-31-2000).]
BTW... about the VG's blade thickness... the homepage says 3.5 mm and in the text they say 1/8"...
Seb
[This message has been edited by Seb (edited 12-31-2000).]
Esav Benyamin
MidniteSuperMod
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Just inspecting by eye against a big metal ruler, that 3.5 mm looks good. It looks to be a hair over 1/8". I don't know if there is any effective difference in these measurements or even if they use exactly the same thickness stock all the time.
I wouldn't worry about REKAT quality control, since their customer service seems to make up for the occasional problem. It might be something for you to think about, though, being in another country.
You might consider going with the Vaquero for the weight, which I don't know for the Sifu, but suspect is more than the 6.2 oz. of the VG.
Since the Sifu has the rolling lock, and the VG is a lockback with dual thumbstuds, they are both ambidextrous.
[This message has been edited by Esav Benyamin (edited 12-31-2000).]