Recommendation? XM-18, Eklipse, Inkosi

[Therom]

My present RHK collection

comparison of the XM-18 gen VI with other knives

The Gen VI will be returned next week to the shop I get it from and I should get a gen IV non flipper on it way to replace it

 

[rexromic]

Both great knives but having to choose one,CRK it is!
As far as toughness goes, my Unnumzaan went to hell and back in hard core use and performed like a boss he is.Cheers.

 

[archieblue]

Both great knives but having to choose one,CRK it is!
As far as toughness goes, my Unnumzaan went to hell and back in hard core use and performed like a boss he is.Cheers.

I have 100% confidence in either for sure. I only give the durability nod to RHK (especially gen 4 XM-18 w Teflon washers) due to the three backspacer/handle fasteners one top of those fasteners being Chicago screws rather than the way Inkosi (& I believe also Umnum) being three piece with two screws going into a sandwiched backspacer. At least the backspacer is shouldered, but Chicago screw fasteners (such as seen on a Sebenza) are the most durable.

 

[rexromic]

Functional strenghts for knives are the weakest points.Stronger parts or even more parts do not mean stronger,more durable knife.It is hard to evaluate without testing both knives for the same task.For instance ,early lockups on XM-18 are lateral,functional parts in line with each other,blade tang and liner.Snapping when flipping and the small area which is liner and blade tang touching can easily crack under hard flip or constant hard opening.When 50-70% lockups have more surface locking so cracks are less likely.Not saying Hinderers crack but simple engineering says early lockup means,weaker point of parts locking.
Again,both are great knives with small but important differences which makes me choose CRK over RHK if I had to pick only one to keep.Cheers.