Which Hogue EX-01: aluminum or G-10 handles?

neuron

neuron

Joined
Apr 18, 2010
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All of the praise for the Hogue EX-01 -- particularly mystro's awesome review and pics thread -- has finally convinced me to pull the trigger on one. I know what size and blade shape I want (4", drop point) but am torn on which handle material to get.

To help with this incredibly important decision, I'm turning to the collective wisdom and experience of BladeForums. I'd be especially interested in comparisons/opinions from people who own (or have handled) both the aluminum and G-10 variants of the EX-01, but would of course welcome input from those who only have one of the two.

(Also, I'm only wanting to get one for right now, so let's set aside the preferred BladeForums option of getting both. ;))
 
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I would go with aluminum simply because I don't have a lot of knives in that material:thumbup:. Though I suppose G10 would "age gracefully". The coating on my BM 942SBK handles are worn down, and it's not much to look at. Admittedly I've been keeping the knife in the same pocket as my keys for the better part of 6 months. Though I suspect I'll always have some crap in my pocket that eats up coatings.
 
I like their G-Mascus. If I may though, the 4" Hogue is a better balanced knife than the 3.5" and the 4" carries pretty well for a large knife. Not quite as small as the Military but it still carries well in the Military flavor.
 
I too would like some feedback on the 4" drop point in the aluminum handle. I already have the 3.5" in gmascus. Seems to be a lot of people with the 4" in gmascus but not so much in the aluminum.:confused:
 
i have the aluminum and i love it. as someone else said...its also unique.
 
I have a 4" dp in gmascus. IMO the gmascus gives the hand a surface that's much easier to get a good grip than aluminim.

The gmascus has a bolster plate(backing plate) to reinforce the gmascus behind the button lock and safety.....the aluminum model doesn't

have the bolster plate. I remember Allen taking about this in one of his videos.
 
I'd prefer G10 but then again I haven't realy tried aluminum but G10 would provide a more "grippy" texture I know for sure.
 
I have a few of the more expensive Bökers with an anodised aluminum alloy handle. It is a nicely light yet sturdy enough handle material. It is also true that the coating will eventually scratch. Is that an issue? Not really for a user, in fact I like that my most used knives do look used as well, they earned their place with their "battle scars". The other side of the coin is a limited resale value if that is important for you.
 
i have the 4in drop in aluminum, i kind of wish i had went with the g10. nothing is wrong with it, and its one of my favorite
 
have both aluminum & g10 gmascus(not quite as nice as the mags make them look,kind of expected a 3d effect ,but alas no) .both built like tanks,very nice-but aluminum all the way...btw I kind of wish that hogue would have a little steeper grind (the edge) on them esp. considering the blade thickness
 
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Thanks for the input, everybody! It's great to hear that folks seem to be happy with both the G-10 and aluminum versions, although I have to confess that it didn't make my decision much easier. ;)

I just ordered the G-10 version, more just to make a decision than because I had any preference for it over the aluminum or thought it would be the better of the two. It really was a toss-up right until I hit the "place order" button -- I seemed to prefer whichever version I happened to be looking at pics of at a given moment! If I like the EX-01 as much as I think I will, I'm sure I'll own the aluminum version before long as well. :D
 
Greetings, neuron,

I imagine you'll be very happy with it. I've had the 4" black G-mascus drop point for a while now and really like it. I don't want to overhype it or anything, yet I am stunned by its precise craftsmanship and functionality.

I've also been curious about the aluminum version and was glad to see one at Cabela's the other day. They just started carrying four models, all drop-points (and all at Cabela's typical price-points): the 3.5" and 4" in black G-mascus and the 3.5" and 4" in OD aluminum. The 4" aluminum felt better balanced than the G-mascus version I have, as the linerless G10, along with the thick blade, bolster plate, and heavy-duty hardware provide a more front-heavy feel than I'm used to. The aluminum scales provide more weight in the handle area, and now that I think about it, I wish the G10 version had liners, skeletonized or otherwise, as I don't mind the added weight.

On the other hand, the G-mascus versions strike me as more unique and custom-looking. The aluminum version also already had a couple of tiny--really tiny--chips in the anodizing on the top front jimping, and the display models were all they had in stock at the time. I readily admit that I'm unduly concerned about cosmetic issues and completely understand if people ridicule me for that :). Still, I liked the OD aluminum version enough that I accidently ordered one a couple of days ago.

On a side note, I was surprised by the size difference between the 3.5" and 4" models; it was more than I thought.

Congratulations on your purchase!

Cheers,
Isaeus
 
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My EX-01 (Black G-10) arrived today, and it definitely lived up to all of the praise that's been heaped on it: impeccable F&F, great ergos, smooth action, etc. As Isaeus and others described -- and as I was expecting -- the balance is definitely blade-heavy due to the combination of a big ol' blade and a linerless G-10 handle, but the ergos and grip are so good that it still feels very natural in the hand once you've been holding it for a few seconds. Like Isaeus, I'm one of those who likes heavier knives and thus would have welcomed liners under the G-10, but I do understand that a lot of folks prefer knives that, in the style of the Millie, have lowish weights for their blade size.

I predicted earlier that if I liked this first G-10 EX-01 -- and I definitely do -- the 4" aluminum version would be in my near future. Once I get one, I'll post back here with some impressions about how the G-10 and aluminum versions compare to one another.

Thanks again for all of the input and encouragement, everybody!
 
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