- Joined
- Aug 12, 2006
- Messages
- 1,302
First caveat is that I won't dwell on how these knives are similar or how great they are. Centering is perfect, blade play is nonexistent, etc. Also, I can only speak for my two samples. Neither knife has ever been disassembled nor have the pivots ever been adjusted.Differences, Gen 3 and Gen 4 XM 3.5":
The relocation of the stop pin for Gen 4 seems a great choice from an engineering standpoint but has no effect on the way I use the knife or how it acts in my hand. The new design does allow the pin to stop the blade in the fully opened position as well as fully closed. Necessary? No, but as a triple redundant sytem I am all for it. When engaged the lock bar stops the blade from opening and closing. The thumb studs stop the blade in the opened position and provide lateral support. Now, the new stop pin is the fail-safe. It's hard to tell for sure but it does appear that all three systems preventing the blade from hyperextending appear to be in play at the same time. If it's true then that is where the true engineering marvel lies as having all three systems working at once requires extrememly tight tollerances. Aesthetically too, Gen 4 gets the edge here.
The fit and finish is better on the Gen 4 for two main reasons. I would say the Gen 4 fit is better because of how early the lock-up is. About 25% as apposed to about 40% when my Gen 3 was new (still at 40%). Gen 4 is sticky to unlock but that should break in over time and use. I don't, however, remember my Gen 3 ever being that sticky but it most likely has to simply do with the percentage of lock-up. UPDATE: Unlocks smooth as silk. All stickiness is gone after a minor break-in period. Gen 4 finish is better too. It has never bothered me but my Gen 3 has machining marks all around the outside edge of the blade. These are simply lines that can be felt with the fingernail and kinda remind me of the edges of plywood. The actual areas they appear are the spine, choil, and concave side of the flipper. In all other areas of the blade they have been worked out through additional profiling. If it really bothered me I could easily clean it up with some fine sand paper.
The detent is where they really stand apart. My Gen 3 detent has been just fine for me but nearly non-existent. The detent would prevent the blade from opening by a simple shake but would easily allow the blade to open with an intentional flick of the wrist. It has never opened in my pocket (tip-up) and I have never worried that it would. The Gen 4 detent is strong and a wrist flick alone will not open it. Nor for that matter will the thumb stud. Nobody could ever worry about an accidentlal deployment. Okay, just kidding about the thumb stud. The thumb stud will open it just fine as long as you don't baby it with gradually increasing pressure. If you go from zero to all-out it fires open just like flipping. When I pull my knife out of the pocket my index finger is in the exact position for flipping so the vast majority of the time this is how I get her open. The Gen 4 detent definately allows for a nice build up of tension and it flips on par with all but the best. Not to the level with IKBS or Roller Thrust Bearing but much much closer. I really can't express how much I love the new detent.:thumbup:
Spanto vs. slicer. Hmm, this is tough. I really can't decide. I have been looking forward to the slicer for so long and now that I have it I can really appreciate the Spanto as the true work horse. The Spanto completly fills the bill of a "hard use folder." The Slicer, however, does better a better job of doing what it name implies. For most uses I think the Slicer will prevail as the EDC winner but when the going gets tough, the confidence the Spanto blade imbues can't be overstated. I do think the Spanto has a cooler looking swedge, too. Damn you Rick Hinderer! Life used to be so simple; 3, 3.5 or 4 inch. Of course, the Gen 4 can still be had in the Spanto if that's your preference.
Another difference is the edge. The edge on my Gen 3 Spanto comes up slightly higher than on the Gen 4 Slicer and the Spanto seemed sharper out of the box. I am fairly certain that all edges are put on by hand and this would make every knife slightly different and not necessarily have anything to do with Spanto vs. Slicer or Gen 3 vs. Gen 4.
My Gen 3 (but not all) has the blade material (CTS-XHP) etched into the blade. Gen 4 is sterile. Not even sure what the steel is but I think it's the same.
Last thing. Could very well be my imagination and I have nothing on me at the moment to do any measuring but to my eye there is an ever so slighly larger gap between the blade and scales in the Gen 4. Possibly a washer difference?
Not having the funds to keep both I was planning on selling off my user but now that decision is harder than I thought it would be.
Thanks for reading.
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Never understood why Rick put the lanyard hole where he did until I attached one to his knife, it is a perfect location for the flipper application on a Hinderer. I know that it probably was not intended, but because of the detent, I just use the flipper to help ease the pressure needed to affect a thumb stud opening. From what I have been reading the detent will wear-in and that won't be necessary in time. Looks like the Emerson CQC 7 is going to get eased out of pocket rotation.......
