Comeuppance
Fixed Blade EDC Emisssary
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2013
- Messages
- 4,765
Man, this place looks and feels notably different with the new layout.
I was gone for about a solid year, for a concentrated dose of life stuff - got married, got divorced, moved three times, going back to school, etc. The only thing that's remained constant in my life since last October is that there has been a dog by my side and a knife in my front right pocket.
What did I miss? Any major drama or significant changes to the community? Did I just miss a year of EDC pics of conspicuously unused knives and people telling other people they are wrong for liking a knife or manufacturer?
For vanity's sake, a quick and dirty (!) shot of my current lineup:
Also, so this post has some kind of value to people who have never heard of me, some quick reviews of the knives pictured above (left to right)
GEC Navy Knife (440C) - My favorite slipjoint to date. I need to put a lanyard back on the bail at the end, as that made it really pleasant to open. Fits wonderfully in the hand, looks non-threatening, very versatile. I feel like this is the slipjoint I would end up designing, were I to try to.
Kizer Megatherium (S35VN) - While it's very well-constructed with stunning fit and finish, I have a minor mechanical gripe - the heft of the blade really drags down the ceramic bearing pivot speed to the point where it's not particularly impressive. That said, it's has incredible ergonomics, a unique style, and my favorite blade shape for everyday utility.
Stedemon Shy IV (S35VN) - This is the pocket knife I wanted to exist when I started getting into pocket knives ages ago. I'm a sucker for cord-wraps and katanas, and I am not ashamed of the 12-year-old mall ninja that resides inside my soul. It's a little unnerving to use and carry, though, as the pivot is so smooth that disengaging the lock will allow the blade to free-fall onto your finger(s) if you're not careful. Additionally, the G10 pocket clip, while novel, wiggles around side-to-side even when tightly secured. I feel like this should have been a flipper, at the very least to give a safety-nub that would land on your finger when closing the knife.
Stedemon ZKC (440C) - Way too nice for what I paid. It's pretty, it's well-made, it's light, and every bit as smooth and polished as any folder I have purchased. I don't know what else to say but to strongly consider one if the style interests you.
Spyderco Pingo (N690) - Yes, that's a ziptie thumbstud - it needed it. Once I added that, it became one of my favorite utility knives of all time, beating the Cold Steel Tuff Lite by a hair - admittedly, at roughly 250% the price. It's light. It's very thin. It's sturdy. It's nice in the hand. It's even kinda cute, in a way.
Rough Rider Dog Bone Jack (440A) - One of these things is not like the others - one of these things cost $12. Rough rider makes cheap-as-dirt knives that are built incredibly well (most of the time; check reviews on the models before you buy) and come with cheap-but-insanely-sharp blades. Side notes: The acorn shield looks like it was drawn by a 7-year-old, and the whistle sounds really pleasant. I initially bought this for the pocket-clip-sheath that it came with (the likes of which generally cost $10 or more by themselves) but the knife is genuinely nice (with the exception of the acorn shield) and has been very useful.
Cold Steel Rajah II (BD-1) - I disagree with Cold Steel's choice to name a different model the "pocket bushman" when this folding machete-kukri has been my folder of choice to take into the woods. It's big, and is not discrete in any way - it sticks a few inches above your pocket (which makes it very easy to get to) and the lock makes a THWACK when you open it - and it's over a foot long when open. Surprisingly, it doesn't weigh too much as the handle is a linerless sturdy polymer. I've carried this quite a bit, as you can see from the patina, as it's my apocalypse* / hiking / dog walking knife (ever since some idiot tried to steal my dog while I was walking her. Next person who tries loses a hand instead of me kicking them in the ribs and running.)
* I take this into the tornado shelter every time. Five times this year. I figure I could hack up any fallen debris or forge a new vagabond life - whichever the aftermath calls for.
I was gone for about a solid year, for a concentrated dose of life stuff - got married, got divorced, moved three times, going back to school, etc. The only thing that's remained constant in my life since last October is that there has been a dog by my side and a knife in my front right pocket.
What did I miss? Any major drama or significant changes to the community? Did I just miss a year of EDC pics of conspicuously unused knives and people telling other people they are wrong for liking a knife or manufacturer?
For vanity's sake, a quick and dirty (!) shot of my current lineup:
Also, so this post has some kind of value to people who have never heard of me, some quick reviews of the knives pictured above (left to right)
GEC Navy Knife (440C) - My favorite slipjoint to date. I need to put a lanyard back on the bail at the end, as that made it really pleasant to open. Fits wonderfully in the hand, looks non-threatening, very versatile. I feel like this is the slipjoint I would end up designing, were I to try to.
Kizer Megatherium (S35VN) - While it's very well-constructed with stunning fit and finish, I have a minor mechanical gripe - the heft of the blade really drags down the ceramic bearing pivot speed to the point where it's not particularly impressive. That said, it's has incredible ergonomics, a unique style, and my favorite blade shape for everyday utility.
Stedemon Shy IV (S35VN) - This is the pocket knife I wanted to exist when I started getting into pocket knives ages ago. I'm a sucker for cord-wraps and katanas, and I am not ashamed of the 12-year-old mall ninja that resides inside my soul. It's a little unnerving to use and carry, though, as the pivot is so smooth that disengaging the lock will allow the blade to free-fall onto your finger(s) if you're not careful. Additionally, the G10 pocket clip, while novel, wiggles around side-to-side even when tightly secured. I feel like this should have been a flipper, at the very least to give a safety-nub that would land on your finger when closing the knife.
Stedemon ZKC (440C) - Way too nice for what I paid. It's pretty, it's well-made, it's light, and every bit as smooth and polished as any folder I have purchased. I don't know what else to say but to strongly consider one if the style interests you.
Spyderco Pingo (N690) - Yes, that's a ziptie thumbstud - it needed it. Once I added that, it became one of my favorite utility knives of all time, beating the Cold Steel Tuff Lite by a hair - admittedly, at roughly 250% the price. It's light. It's very thin. It's sturdy. It's nice in the hand. It's even kinda cute, in a way.
Rough Rider Dog Bone Jack (440A) - One of these things is not like the others - one of these things cost $12. Rough rider makes cheap-as-dirt knives that are built incredibly well (most of the time; check reviews on the models before you buy) and come with cheap-but-insanely-sharp blades. Side notes: The acorn shield looks like it was drawn by a 7-year-old, and the whistle sounds really pleasant. I initially bought this for the pocket-clip-sheath that it came with (the likes of which generally cost $10 or more by themselves) but the knife is genuinely nice (with the exception of the acorn shield) and has been very useful.
Cold Steel Rajah II (BD-1) - I disagree with Cold Steel's choice to name a different model the "pocket bushman" when this folding machete-kukri has been my folder of choice to take into the woods. It's big, and is not discrete in any way - it sticks a few inches above your pocket (which makes it very easy to get to) and the lock makes a THWACK when you open it - and it's over a foot long when open. Surprisingly, it doesn't weigh too much as the handle is a linerless sturdy polymer. I've carried this quite a bit, as you can see from the patina, as it's my apocalypse* / hiking / dog walking knife (ever since some idiot tried to steal my dog while I was walking her. Next person who tries loses a hand instead of me kicking them in the ribs and running.)
* I take this into the tornado shelter every time. Five times this year. I figure I could hack up any fallen debris or forge a new vagabond life - whichever the aftermath calls for.
