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Why no love for the HEST ?
- Thread starter pitdog
- Start date
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2008
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- 3,214
I've got a HEST. It's a neat knife. But the spike on the pommel can dig into my hand a bit. The bottle opener is....unnecessary...and would seem to weaken the blade somewhat. The wire breaker is only marginally useful. It's a novelty knife. It's fussy and doesn't really add anything to a basic knife design. I like it, but in a tough situation, gimme an RC-3 any day.
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- Mar 7, 2007
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- 2,406
CDHumiston
Gold Member
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- Feb 17, 2009
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I've got a HEST. It's a neat knife. But the spike on the pommel can dig into my hand a bit. The bottle opener is....unnecessary...and would seem to weaken the blade somewhat. The wire breaker is only marginally useful. It's a novelty knife. It's fussy and doesn't really add anything to a basic knife design. I like it, but in a tough situation, gimme an RC-3 any day.
When the SHTF I want o be able to cut fences, pry open cans, and get the lid off my beer bottle in a hurry. Plus the pommel spike can be used to break glass. Did I mention opening my beers...
Seriously, it's a fun knife, I like mine, but I have yet to use it. Oh and getting mine out of the sheath requires assistance from Hulk Hogan,,,
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2006
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- 1,481
It is a niche knife, but I really like mine.
Someone (can't remember who exactly, sorry) on the RAT forums mentioned he inverted the handle slabs to make it more comfortable...using the above pic as a reference, the "point" of the scales that point towards the RYP logo would be instead facing down toward the wire breaking notch. I've done that and it gives a little more control/comfort.
Someone (can't remember who exactly, sorry) on the RAT forums mentioned he inverted the handle slabs to make it more comfortable...using the above pic as a reference, the "point" of the scales that point towards the RYP logo would be instead facing down toward the wire breaking notch. I've done that and it gives a little more control/comfort.
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2007
- Messages
- 3,538
I'll be completely honest, the only thing the HEST really does for me that my Izula doesn't is open a beer. And I should be able to figure out how to do that if it's really necessary.
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2009
- Messages
- 538
It's very easy to open a beer with a knife, spoon, piece of wood, hell even another bottle of beer, really, anything that can get under the cap. Fist around the neck, index wrapped around the object and cap, apply the leverage with the other hand quickly and pop....
If you know the leverage trick, it will open worlds for you....
If you know the leverage trick, it will open worlds for you....
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- Sep 28, 2005
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- 4,527
Deep choil right in front of the edge would catch on anything I would cut with a knife that size- major turn off for me. The rest of the design just did not do enough to overcome that.
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- Jan 31, 2009
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- 3,292
+1:thumbup:
+2
That's exactly why I'm after the RC-3 instead.
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2007
- Messages
- 1,035
I don't like the prybar, not crazy about the cap lifter,and the wire notch really irks me. While it isn't as large as a choil I prefer my sharpened edge to run up to the handle.I find that is the most used part of the blade for me.
I a sure RAT is a fine company, but truthfully I am not crazy about their knives. If they ever decide to make a run of choiless RC-3s, I 'd buy one in a heartbeat.
I a sure RAT is a fine company, but truthfully I am not crazy about their knives. If they ever decide to make a run of choiless RC-3s, I 'd buy one in a heartbeat.
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2009
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- 1,120
maybe we shld trade sheaths
mine rattles
and comes out more easily than i would like
since i carry it inverted
on the shldr strap of my pack
took it camping in dec
batoned with it
did some food prep
fuzz sticks etc
it did everything i needed in that situation
oh yeah
its a sweet bottle opener too
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2004
- Messages
- 4,231
I like the bottle opener for beer
I carried mine on my IOTV vest in Afghanistan and it worked just fine. I tried several carry variations as the pommel digs into you if you don't have it positioned right; I like it, but if it's uncomfortable to carry, the utility of it is futile.
I had to re=profile mine to served more as as cutting implement than mini sharpened pry bar, but I will say I like the wire cutter, it works good on fencing-type wire. The sheath on mine is tight and well designed.
I'm going to pack mine up and put it in my get-home bag/kit. I EDC a fixed blade, so it'll be a good backup.
ROCK6
I carried mine on my IOTV vest in Afghanistan and it worked just fine. I tried several carry variations as the pommel digs into you if you don't have it positioned right; I like it, but if it's uncomfortable to carry, the utility of it is futile. I had to re=profile mine to served more as as cutting implement than mini sharpened pry bar, but I will say I like the wire cutter, it works good on fencing-type wire. The sheath on mine is tight and well designed.
I'm going to pack mine up and put it in my get-home bag/kit. I EDC a fixed blade, so it'll be a good backup.
ROCK6
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2008
- Messages
- 633
I definately agree!
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2006
- Messages
- 4,012
It's a novelty toy.
I wont dwell on my opinions on 1095 under a layer of drain paint. It is sufficient to note that is $160 for that and it looks like Tops have been at it.
Design wise I had to look up the designer and I found nothing to give him any credentials as a designer that couldn't be drawn from the traditional bucket of ignoramuses, juvenile military personnel [in relation to breaking stuff], cobbled together with the opinion of Kate Adie [whatever that may be].
Specifically, what's with the importance of opening beer bottles? As mentioned above; there are loads of ways to improvise a beer bottle opener, why sacrifice a bit of your knife if it is the serious and important tool you portend. I guess the answer to that has something to do with showing off to your junior buddies that your knife has a well cool man bottle opener. I can live without that. I do. I love it. I'd suggest to those people that they might actually get an even bigger well cool man if they didn't need to recourse to some dedicated device. Better idea; put the boys down and go hook up with a girl. If you want a beer with her borrow something from her to open them, maybe her lipstick case. Unless of course there are extra well cool man points to be had from waiving a knife around in a manly way in front of other men while you open beer.
What's with that handle:
a] It's got a lovely liability to the user built right in. Thanks for that.
b] a surely has has to preclude some carry options, including my favorite
c] It looks soddin' uncomfortable. Whilst one might test the luck at how eagerly a knife of that thickness slices imagine if you will how great it would feel in the web of the hand putting a point on a good solid stake [or any other power cutting that way]. Now consider how it felt to to do that with a CS Master Hunter handle. Make a special note of what exactly would be contacting the web of your hand in both instances. Observations like that sell themselves.
di] What's with the flat brass screws? Here I think there's a world of difference between explaining and explaining away. Sure one can open them with a coin rather than needing a star / hex bolt driver but I find that tenuous. I've never found that an issue with other knives 'cos I've had forewarning I needed one when I select that knife. As for the James Bond stowing a Krugerand up the handle or whatever that cavity is meant to be for I'm really going to laugh. When your knife is taxed off you you'll lose that. Unless of course you don't get taxed in which case better solutions present themselves. I suppose there is the possibility that the Umpa Lumpas might rush out, bag your head and cuff you, strip all your kit save your knife allowing you to Tarzan your way home. Nah, I'm not having that, too unlikely.
dii] Brass flat screws what's to love? Well they are very elastic so they are less likely to vibrate free than steel on steel. Doesn't Loctite solve that for everyone else. But then again who wants Loctite on something they'll keep undoing. But then there's how much crap a soft brass flat screw head is willing to tolerate under a makeshift screwdriver, the raison d'être, before it just rips up. I've put up with brass flat head screws on my Big Swede because it was a very cheap knife that works brilliantly given what it is made from and it was designed long ago. For a modern fixed blade at $160 I think it is outrageous.
Notes:
Perhaps in anticipation of comments on the handle the website mentions one can wrap string or leather round the handle. I'd say while you are at it you could saw off that liability protruding from that handle and glue it in the gap on the back of the blade where some blade should be. Or of course in common with other knives one has to wrap something round the handle and saw bits off to make into a half serviceable knife, one could just buy something else to begin with.
I'm going to quit now before it starts to get to the pillory stage. It is sufficient to note that sometimes going to a bunch of places can be mutually exclusive with using and designing knives in an effective manner. There's another piece of evidence for that inherent in that knife.
I wont dwell on my opinions on 1095 under a layer of drain paint. It is sufficient to note that is $160 for that and it looks like Tops have been at it.
Design wise I had to look up the designer and I found nothing to give him any credentials as a designer that couldn't be drawn from the traditional bucket of ignoramuses, juvenile military personnel [in relation to breaking stuff], cobbled together with the opinion of Kate Adie [whatever that may be].
Specifically, what's with the importance of opening beer bottles? As mentioned above; there are loads of ways to improvise a beer bottle opener, why sacrifice a bit of your knife if it is the serious and important tool you portend. I guess the answer to that has something to do with showing off to your junior buddies that your knife has a well cool man bottle opener. I can live without that. I do. I love it. I'd suggest to those people that they might actually get an even bigger well cool man if they didn't need to recourse to some dedicated device. Better idea; put the boys down and go hook up with a girl. If you want a beer with her borrow something from her to open them, maybe her lipstick case. Unless of course there are extra well cool man points to be had from waiving a knife around in a manly way in front of other men while you open beer.
What's with that handle:
a] It's got a lovely liability to the user built right in. Thanks for that.
b] a surely has has to preclude some carry options, including my favorite
c] It looks soddin' uncomfortable. Whilst one might test the luck at how eagerly a knife of that thickness slices imagine if you will how great it would feel in the web of the hand putting a point on a good solid stake [or any other power cutting that way]. Now consider how it felt to to do that with a CS Master Hunter handle. Make a special note of what exactly would be contacting the web of your hand in both instances. Observations like that sell themselves.
di] What's with the flat brass screws? Here I think there's a world of difference between explaining and explaining away. Sure one can open them with a coin rather than needing a star / hex bolt driver but I find that tenuous. I've never found that an issue with other knives 'cos I've had forewarning I needed one when I select that knife. As for the James Bond stowing a Krugerand up the handle or whatever that cavity is meant to be for I'm really going to laugh. When your knife is taxed off you you'll lose that. Unless of course you don't get taxed in which case better solutions present themselves. I suppose there is the possibility that the Umpa Lumpas might rush out, bag your head and cuff you, strip all your kit save your knife allowing you to Tarzan your way home. Nah, I'm not having that, too unlikely.
dii] Brass flat screws what's to love? Well they are very elastic so they are less likely to vibrate free than steel on steel. Doesn't Loctite solve that for everyone else. But then again who wants Loctite on something they'll keep undoing. But then there's how much crap a soft brass flat screw head is willing to tolerate under a makeshift screwdriver, the raison d'être, before it just rips up. I've put up with brass flat head screws on my Big Swede because it was a very cheap knife that works brilliantly given what it is made from and it was designed long ago. For a modern fixed blade at $160 I think it is outrageous.
Notes:
Perhaps in anticipation of comments on the handle the website mentions one can wrap string or leather round the handle. I'd say while you are at it you could saw off that liability protruding from that handle and glue it in the gap on the back of the blade where some blade should be. Or of course in common with other knives one has to wrap something round the handle and saw bits off to make into a half serviceable knife, one could just buy something else to begin with.
I'm going to quit now before it starts to get to the pillory stage. It is sufficient to note that sometimes going to a bunch of places can be mutually exclusive with using and designing knives in an effective manner. There's another piece of evidence for that inherent in that knife.
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