Why no love for the HEST ?

My favorite application for the HEST is as a neck knife.

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I took a cue from PICT and added some inner tube and a few extras:

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In this application I find it easy to carry and use for the routine stuff I do. Not my "go to war" knife, but I'm going to hang on to it.
 
tholiver said:
You are welcome MW, so i take it you will be buying one?
If the answer is yes maybe you can do one of your reviews/write-ups after you get it/use it for a while?
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That's the plan. I need a small, stout, multipurpose knife, that has a kydex sheath, but also has handle scales for better grip and more comfort for longer term cutting if needs be. I immediately thought RAT. The Izula and maybe RC3 were really along the size I was thinking for how it will be carried but they really were thinner than what I want for this particular application. So at that point I was thinking RC4 but fearing it was longer than what I want. BTW, me thinking a knife with a 4.5 inch blade is too big is definitely not the norm, this just happens to be application specific. The site I wanted to buy from didn't give the specs of the HEST so I thought it was bigger and that the pry bar pommel would likely hang up on the draw. After seeing it beside the Izula I realized it was exactly what I was looking for.

Have I ever gotten a knife...or any other cool piece of kit for that matter... and not done a review on it ? :)

Thank you Tony for posting all the pics
 
mistwalker said:
That's the plan. I need a small, stout, multipurpose knife, that has a kydex sheath, but also has handle scales for better grip and more comfort for longer term cutting if needs be. I immediately thought RAT. The Izula and maybe RC3 were really along the size I was thinking for how it will be carried but they really were thinner than what I want for this particular application. So at that point I was thinking RC4 but fearing it was longer than what I want. BTW, me thinking a knife with a 4.5 inch blade is too big is definitely not the norm, this just happens to be application specific. The site I wanted to buy from didn't give the specs of the HEST so I thought it was bigger and that the pry bar pommel would likely hang up on the draw. After seeing it beside the Izula I realized it was exactly what I was looking for.

Have I ever gotten a knife...or any other cool piece of kit for that matter... and not done a review on it ? :)

Thank you Tony for posting all the pics
Click to expand...

I'd love to see one of your reviews for the HEST.:thumbup:
 
I can't say the HEST is for me, but I respect the hell out of the company who makes it and know that the heat treat on that thing will be as great as typically of Rowan/rat cutlery. For those of you who haven't had the pleasure of working with a rat blade, they do seem to get every ounce of performance out of 1095.

I respect the different tool components to the knife, but in the end, I'm just a sort of bare bones blade kind of guy and tend to prefer the RC-3. Still, it was good to see Mr. Pelton come to the thread and give us his insights on his design. Shows a lot of class for him to come in at the most heated part of the discussion and return for more dialogue. Clearly, he is no stranger to wading into the frying pan ;)
 
I love the Four, I really want the orange RC-3 though. In my older years, the orange suits me very well, ecspecially in the Snow which we have in ND most of the time.
 
At least for me, Chris has settled the issue about the pry bar :thumbup:. If it does make the handle uncomfortable, it's use and effectiveness compensates for that:
Bear Claw Chris Lappe said:
Pry Bar part 1

I picked up an old small freight pallet today, for a first test of the mini-pry bar.

PryBar-1.jpg


The first few shots are the beginning of getting the hang of holding onto the knife and working the pry bar in under the wood.

PryBar-2.jpg


PryBar-3.jpg


TO get any decent leverage, you need to use the sheath as sort of a handle, but I was REALLY concerned about it slipping off, so I stopped and reworked the lanyard, so that the knife was tied into the sheath to prevent slipping.

PryBar-4.jpg


I went back to work and after about 4 minutes total, I had separated a corner joint.

PryBar-5.jpg


The pry bar works, I think it's important to keep it's overall size in mind though. Obviously you are not going to tear down a wall with it, but I see it being very useful for those little things that we "might" be tempted to use the blade tip for, and thereby saving us from a broken tip.

It's also intended as a scrapper and I can see it would be fine, I also see it's use as a screwdriver tip for standard and even some Philips head screws.

Lots of possibilities for this feature! :thumbup:
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But I'm still waiting on suggestions for the bottle opener :D.
 
I think the HEST has the same, basic comfortable grip as other RAT Cutlery knives. If you had a really wide hand, perhaps the pommel-prybar might get in the way but for me it works very well.
 
I ordered a HEST last Saturday and all week I "worried" that I should have ordered another RC-3 instead. After opening the box yesterday I must say that feeling went away. This is an awesome blade and I can definately see a great use for this as a wilderness tool, or in the "urban jungle". It is not to thick, it will slice and dice very well. It will ride in a front blue jean pocket better than most folders of the same size. It has a great belly for skinning and trap notching. In fact I like this little blade so much I just bought another.

I will remove the handles in a bit (have to attend a baby shower today, yes it is for my wife and I :Das we are having a son in a couple weeks) The 2nd HEST is actually for him:D:D:D

I would recomend everyone to try this little feller before you cast judgement:p
 
I kind of like it. I like the pry butt of the knife idea. I like the version without the scales. IMHO, it doesn't have to be very comfortable because it is a survival tool. I wouldn't care about a perfectly comfortable grip in a survival situation. It's not a knife designed for your typical outdoors trip when you want something that feels good in hand and cuts great. It is an urban survival tool. Sort of meant for an emergency and so it should serve multiple purposes. Not the best tool for each purpose but good to have if it's all you have. I think a bigger version would be even better.
 
HEST_Friends.jpg


Some of FB EDC in the last 15 years and my HEST.
All have been used on a daily basis.

A thick short blade is very handy when you need something solid.
Because of its excellent ergo you can use it hard. (but the Izula which is all new and a beautiful RC3 I keep for hunting...)
Last WE I have used it as an ice pick and a snow knife. It worked great !
Now I'm going to the kitchen (dinner time in UTC) and it's going to be use on oignons, meat and vegetable. And I won't be disapointed.
(now I also got an IKEA VG10 chef knife and a Cold Steel Roach Belly at hand... but that HEST thick big belly blade is really a razor and ask to be used everywhere.)
 
LUW said:
At least for me, Chris has settled the issue about the pry bar :thumbup:. If it does make the handle uncomfortable, it's use and effectiveness compensates for that:

But I'm still waiting on suggestions for the bottle opener :D.
Click to expand...

Just off the top of my head it would work great for moving a pot with a bale handle off of a fire. Give me time I'll think of some other things...I have one on the way for a project I am about to start.

Great shots of the pallet Chris, that's one of the things I was thinking about remembering a time when I used some pallets for both shelter material and fuel for fire...separating them as I did at first was a little noisy and damaged several of the boards.

.
 
The prybar makes the handle mor confortable.

you can even handle the knife with only two fingers. The prybar anchors it in your hand.
you got more reach for even doing some light chopping (as the little blade is quite heavy).
Light chopping for notching or sticking the knife while you are doing other things...
 
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