Who Carries a CS Gunsite?

crom said:
On the serrations; the tips of the smaller serrations will snap off on tougher materials, but they remain sharp anyhow.
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The first large Gunsite I ever got had very long, thin, exceedingly sharp teeth, and I imagine on some tougher material they might break off. The teeth on the one I have now and carry are shorter and stockier (perhaps if I can find my original one, I'll do comparison photos). The teeth on the CS 440A blades are even stubbier. Those blades never need sharpening and the teeth are tough.

3Guardsmen said:
If I remember correctly, according to Tim Wegner, the original, full-sized, Spyderco Wegner model was the knife originally considered for being named the official knife of Gunsite, but neither Tim Wegner nor Spyderco felt that the association with Gunsite would would be beneficial, so Gunsite went with Cold Steel.
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Normally, I don't think much of companies that don't take a solid stand for the right of arms ownership and responsible use in defending one's self and one's home, but in this case, things turned out for the best. The Wegner, in my own opinion, was just another ho-hum linerlock. Certainly nothing to write home about. The Cold Steel Gunsite doesn't need the Gunsite name to make it a popular knife (though it certainly didn't hurt), and I bought it simply because it was the kind of knife I liked and found attractive. And even though I've never visited the Gunsite ranch, nor am I necessarily an acolyte of the late Col. Jeff Cooper, I'm very pleased to have the knife sport the Gunsite logo and name. I also don't think that the association with Spyderco or Wegner would have been beneficial to Gunsite, either, so like I said, the decision worked out best for everyone.
 
Association with Spyderco, a well loved and respected company, wouldn't be beneficial to Gunsite?
 
mongomondo said:
Association with Spyderco, a well loved and respected company, wouldn't be beneficial to Gunsite?
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No, if the Wegner had been the official "Gunsite" knife, it would have been just another unremarkable short-bladed linerlock on the market; and though linerlocks may be fine for some applications, they lack the strength of frame locks, lockbacks and axis locks. The imposing size and beauty of the CS Gunsite, I think, will be a much longer-lived knife. Now had Spyderco designed a nice 4-inch "Native," with a good grade of stainless, I think it would have been well received. As it is, the Wegner holds little long term appeal.

Gunsite, too, is well respected in the firearms community, and it deserves a knife that is a little more imposing, attractive and practical.
 
I'm not familiar with the Wegner knife but Spyderco does have some heavy duty knives like the Paramilitary. I think the Gunsite is ok but I don't like the way Cold Steel does serrations. I would have preferred the large tanto or clip point Voyager.
 
Confederate said:
No, if the Wegner had been the official "Gunsite" knife, it would have been just another unremarkable short-bladed linerlock on the market; and though linerlocks may be fine for some applications, they lack the strength of frame locks, lockbacks and axis locks. The imposing size and beauty of the CS Gunsite, I think, will be a much longer-lived knife. Now had Spyderco designed a nice 4-inch "Native," with a good grade of stainless, I think it would have been well received. As it is, the Wegner holds little long term appeal.

Gunsite, too, is well respected in the firearms community, and it deserves a knife that is a little more imposing, attractive and practical.
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Care to explain what exactly is "practical" about a folding, combo-edge, tanto, with very little in the way of a hand-guard and jimping that isn't worth a darn? The Spyderco Wegner on the other hand has been a mainstay of professional hunters for almost a decade now. How do you think that the "practical" Cold Steel Gunsite would fare at skinning an elk?:rolleyes:

Regards,
3G
 
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mongomondo said:
Association with Spyderco, a well loved and respected company, wouldn't be beneficial to Gunsite?
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No, and I never said that. I believe Mr. Wegner said it was the other way around, and that is what I said in my post. I think Spyderco and Mr. Wegner wanted (and they marketed as such) the knife to be known for its exceptional use as a hunting and field knife, not as a tactical, self-defense knife, which would have been the case if they allowed Gunsite to use it as their official knife.

Regards,
3G
 
Just for info, here is the information regarding what I stated in my post, about the Spyderco Wegner being the initial choice for the official Gunsite knife, prior to Cold Steel's model having been selected:

http://spyderco.com/forums/showthread.php?t=572

"Hi guys! I figured I had better jump on line to see if I could shed any light on the subjects being discussed surrounding the Spyderco/Wegner Clipit. Before I get started, I would like to invite you all to view the Clipit Story on our knife page at our website www.blade-tech.com.



The question was posed, "Is the Spyderco/Wegner Clipit a hunter's knife or a tactical knife?" In my humble opinion the very things that make this knife an excellent hunter's tool make it a great tactical blade as well -- consider this, its' primary function is to cut flesh!



First, let me explain the Spyderco/Wegner Clipit's role as a hunter's tool. Most people look at a hunting knife as being just a skinning knife and neglect four other very important tasks: field dressing, quartering, disjointing, and caping. All of which can be accomplished without the aid of an ax or saw. This hunter's tool should also include the knife's possible use as a survival tool.



I designed the Spyderco/Wegner Clipit to be a multi-roled knife which will accomplish all that a back country hunter would require of it in the field while working on an elk sized animal, and still keep its' edge. Keep in mind that any knife will dull if it is used to cut through the dirty hair of a game animal.



The design is what I would call a modified Loveless semi-skinner. The original Spyderco prototype which appeared in pre-production photos had a tip that was too wide for intricate cutting, and the belly was too acute and would have been detrimental to its' intended role as a utility hunter. Spyderco made the changes at my request. The only differecne between the custom version and the production version are the point, the semi-skinner hump, and the length. The point is 1/8" lower on the production knife and the semi-skinner hump is slightly less pronounced. The length at 3 5/8" is 1/8" shorter than the custom. I kept these slight variations in the production knife because they make it an even better knife for all around utility without sacrificing any of its' capabilities as a hunter. The weights are as follows: custom titanium - 5.25 oz, custom lightweight - 3.75 oz, production Spyderco- 5.0 oz.



By using the term back country hunter, I am referring to a person who does most of his hunting far off the beaten path. This type of hunting requires the most efficient, lightweight, and tough equipment that you can afford. This is especially true when the fun stops and the work starts, you are fie miles from camp, and you have to make several back breaking trips paking out 150 lb elk quarters. I know I have done it more than once.



The concept of using one knife to do all the field work, saves on the hassle of having to carry three knives far into the field. I must confess though, I always carry a backup folder in my pack or vest and of course it's a plain edge Spyderco/Wegner clipit.



The Clipit blade is dropped enough to open a carcass without snagging the paunch. It's skinning belly is comprised of a gradual sweep that works great removing the hide from the largest game by using an even rocking motion utilizing the blade's full belly, rather than the tip.



Caping is more of a specialty chore and many hunters elect to have their taxidermist do it. Oh yes, I realize not everyone is a trophy hunter, but I'll bet there are a good number of hunters who, like me, will not turn down a nice trophy if the opportunity arises. The knife's tip strong and sharp, not only aids in opening up the body cavity, but more importantly, it's sharpness gives the ability to perform intricate cutting chores where precision control is required. Despite all of this, the tip is still plenty strong enough for the demanding job of disjointing and quartering. I personally know of two AFCK's (great knives in their own right) that were used to pop joints on elk, and now sport screwdriver tips.



The Clipit's lightly hollow ground blade is just right for cutting flesh, but will take heavy abuse if the situation warrants. The edge geometry is great right out of the box. I can personally attest to the strength of this knife as I seriously tried to break one on a big fat mule deer buck right after I received the first shipment in Nov. '97.



On numerous occasions I have even used my Clipit to split wood for an afternoon warming fire on a frozen Montana day. And in a survival situation I would feel confident that this knife will not let me down.



The handle was designed to fit all hands, gloved or not, by using a larger two finger sized cut out rather than a single finger cutout, which in my opinion would have been a less universal grip format. This also makes the handle comfortable for long periods of time in all grip configurations.



I have said all this to say "Yes, the Spyderco/Wegner Clipit is a great choice as a tactical folder." Datu Kelly Worden also agrees, and he has quite a bit of positive insight as to why this clipit makes a great defensive knife.



Yes, at one time Gunsite was willing to promote this knife as the official GTC knife, but Rich Jee and I decided that it would be better in the long run to promote the knife as the utility hunter it is rather than give undue attention to the "new" knife by portraying it as a fighter. Especially if down the road some poor chap were to use the knife to ginsu his way out of trouble and end up in the court system. In the mean time, Lynn Thompson approached Rich about doing a Gunsite Tactical folder and I wholeheartedly gae them both my blessing.


Sal Glesser and his great Spyderco design team did a fantastic job on transforming my custom knife design into a production piece that is not only accurate but one that rivals the custom version in quality. We have sold over one thousand knives and I have yet to find a bad one. The staff at Spyderco are a great bunch and they are a blessing to work with. Sal and Spyderco's integrity are second to none, they have my utmost respect.



Thanks for taking the time to read this long thread! GOD BLESS!



Tim Wegner



BLADE-TECH INDUSTRIES, INC

Tim Wegner

http://www.blade-tech.com

tim@blade-tech.com"


Regards,
3G
 
Confederate said:
I also don't think that the association with Spyderco or Wegner would have been beneficial to Gunsite, either, so like I said, the decision worked out best for everyone.
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That's funny. Tim Wegner owns BladeTech, and BladeTech manufactures the holsters that Gunsite sells in their proshop. In addition, I see that the BladeTech Pro Hunter (formerly the Spyderco Wegner model) is available from Gunsite with the Gunsite logo on it (scroll down to the bottom of the linked page):
http://gunsite.com/store/page9.html

So, I guess they have a beneficial association afterall.;)

Regards,
3G
 
3Guardsmen said:
Care to explain what exactly is "practical" about a folding, combo-edge, tanto, with very little in the way of a hand-guard and jimping that isn't worth a darn? The Spyderco Wegner on the other hand has been a mainstay of professional hunters for almost a decade now. How do you think that the "practical" Cold Steel Gunsite would fare at skinning an elk?
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Hi, 3G.

I'm delighted hunters like the Spyderco Wegner, but last time I checked, the Gunsite facility did not train anyone to skin an elk. "Practicality" is, of course, a subjective term. I don't skin elk, either, so my idea of what's practical and what's not will deviate from yours.

Most people who want a knife for serious self defense or weapons retention aren't going to want a linerlock. The drawbacks of the linerlock have been more than adequately cataloged and debated, and yet, no one can say Spyderco isn't a fine company and doesn't make decent knives. My own opinion is that the present Gunsite knives made by Cold Steel are a more fitting tribute to, and more representative of the needs, of the Gunsite community. I'm just saying that I'm glad things turned out like they did. I like the Gunsite tantos enough to buy one in each size and to recommend them to others. I could not say that about the Wegner.


Gunsite.jpg
 
Hi Confederate,
I guess we do have different ideas about what's practical, though I agree with you about liner-locks not being the best choice for a self-defense knife. I owned the smaller version of the Cold Steel Gunsite, back when they (the smaller, 4" bladed ones) first came out, but quickly gifted it to a friend who took a liking to it, as I found very little use for it.

What seems funny to me is that, back in the mid to late 90's, when Gunsite came out with and "edged weapons" video course, they had a picture of the Benchmade AFCK (liner-lock, the Axis 806D2 hadn't come out yet) on the cover, and the instructor made mention of how even the handguard on the AFCK (which was quite substantial for a folder) wouldn't prevent one's hand from sliding up on the blade during a hard stab, yet Gunsite chose the CS Voyager platform, which has practically no hand-guard, to make their namesake knife. I never did understand that one.

Regards,
3G
 
Matador said:
Seems to do okay through a car hood.

Matador
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That's certainly what their videos would have you believe. Keep in mind that the guys in the videos use a lanyard to prevent their hands from sliding up on the blade, and that attempting to do that demonstration on your own voids your warranty (not that their 1-year warranty on folders is anything to write home about).

Regards,
3G
 
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