In Love with this knife...

Discussion in 'Blades' started by UGRev, Jul 31, 2010.


  1. UGRev

    UGRev Get on with it!

  2. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

  3. UGRev

    UGRev Get on with it!

  4. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    Yeah the dip in the edge of the Vulcan is not sensible to me when it comes to sharpening, but the handle design is top notch -especially the tip guard.

    I love the Tsunami design for a fixed blade. If it were a little beefier it would be near perfect. ;)

    I still carry my Emerson Design folder, but I am looking for a slightly more "friendly" and less expensive version...I think that the TF SOG series works well enough. That Stingray is beautiful though.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 25, 2015
  5. UGRev

    UGRev Get on with it!

    I bought the knife.. I couldn't resist :)

    I also have the cold steel Recon Tanto (Recon Tanto : Tactical Knives (Fixed Blade)) but I like the SOG better. The Cold Steel one is beefier than the SOG...maybe you'd like that one :)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 26, 2015
  6. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    You can't copy a recon tanto -you can only envy it. Had one for some time. Great knife. ;)

    Do a review on your SOG once you have had a chance to test her out :)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 26, 2015
  7. Byte

    Byte Monkey+++

    Wow I really like that Stingray 2.0. Very nice looking folder. My only folder other than my SAK is a Benchmade HK 14250 Tanto. I love it. I have a 14100 fixed blade as well. It's a very small knife though. Nearly a neck knife. I'm going to look into that CS Recon Tanto's though. Looks like a great knife.

    Byte
     
  8. UGRev

    UGRev Get on with it!

    Boy, I'm glad I got this when I did. I didn't realize it, but they only made 1000 of these knives. I have #625. It's even engraved on the base of the blade (sorry, my knife anatomy vocabulary is weak. hey, I'm a software developer.. give me a break :))

    This knife is gorgeous. Easy to open with one hand (using thumb). Barely makes a sound when it locks. Cuts great; nice and sharp.

    So, Brokor.. what kind of tests should I do? I'm kind of wary of doing anything tortuous.. I mean.. 625/1000.. sounds collectorish to me :)
    DSC00028.JPG
     
  9. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    Yeah man...it's a collectible item, but it's already opened. [booze]I guess you could shelve it, but that's not very useful. You could just report on the blade, if it has any play when you try to wiggle it side to side. Take notice of the locking mechanism, how sturdy it is. Try to do some wood shaving and whittling to see how long the blade keeps an edge. I dunno. There are a billion YouTube vids on knife tests, from some newb cutting a piece of paper then declaring the blade to be "exquisite", to Nutnfancy hacking at logs and beating on the blade with a club and releasing his final report.

    On another note, I just got my SOG Trident. I love the edge.
    DSCF1327.JPG DSCF1331.JPG
     
  10. CRC

    CRC Survivor of Tidal Waves | RIP 7-24-2015 Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    I love knife p*rn. [beer]
     
  11. UGRev

    UGRev Get on with it!

  12. fortunateson

    fortunateson I hate Illinois Nazis!

    Sportsman's Guide often has specials on SOG knives.
    Some are so cheap that I wondered about the quality.

    I honestly never owned a knife that I paid more than $50 for. Can someone tell me what you get for $100 more? I'm not being sarcastic. I just don't know how to ask without being "blunt" (pun intended)..
     
  13. UGRev

    UGRev Get on with it!

    The mother of pearl in that knife is probably the primary cost modifier for the Stingray. When I was a kid, my father gave me a pocket knife that I loved. It wasn't anything special as far as knives go, but it was my grandfathers' knife and my fathers knife and then it was mine. It had significant value to me. Unfortunately, after moving a handful of times, I seemed to have misplaced it.

    So I was sort of looking for something like that to own and nice enough to pass down to one of my son's. I probably would have forgone the Mother of pearl inlay and went for a cheaper knife but this just screamed at me as something I could pass down.

    I never really had a lot of family growing up and we disowned my mothers' sister and her family (that's a different story). So I am basically trying to do things that don't seem like much now but end up having some history to talk about later. Those kinds of things, I think, build bonds throughout family members.

    So, my dad had this pocket knife... and well.. maybe that kind of puts a different perspective on it. :D
     
  14. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    I paid $40 for my most recent SOG. ;)

    The quality of the tool is typified first and foremost by the steel and its quality of craftsmanship, along with its practicality or functionality. Does the blade have jimping so your thumb gets a good hold? Does the steel have superb edge holding quality? Is it comprised of 420 stainless or a cryogenically treated metal that will not snap if you pry with it? Will it chip or get pocked on the edge after continual use? Then we go to the grip (handle) and the locking mechanism (if applicable). Is it strong enough to withstand opposing forces? Is the blade held fast with little or no play? Will the locking mechanism hold up to extended use, or will it fail? Belt clips are also important to many people. Is it a low-profile clip, so that the knife will sit well in your pocket and not advertise to the world that you have a massive blade protruding? Is it ambidextrous and reversible? What is the quality of the fasteners? Can you disassemble the knife if needed? Is there an all metal insert casing or are they up to speed with current design and materials? Is there any additional functionality to this blade, i.e. -can it serve more than one purpose? The Trident I have can cut rope and twine without opening the blade due to a unique notch and added safety lock. Some blades have assisted open capabilities, to fully automatic and powerful opening which can be lightning fast. Will the mechanism hold up? Finally, there is aesthetics. It is the least important of all aspects, but still important to many because the way a knife looks represents the person using it to some degree. Is it more fashionable, or is it more functional?

    There is a lot that the more expensive blades have to offer. Granted, a great deal in marketing a product has to do with "name brand" pricing -but there are ways around this.
     
  15. fortunateson

    fortunateson I hate Illinois Nazis!

    Thanks.
    I've been very satisfied with my Kershaws, Buck, Gerber, Bokker - all of which I paid under $50. In fact I'm amazed at the quality of these knives, but I guess I'll never know what a better knife is like until I carry one. Ribeye is great until you try Filet Mignon :)

    Any suggestions for a better knife in case I ever decide to step up?
     
  16. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    lol yes, although I prefer a perfectly cooked thick T-Bone myself (or Porterhouse) because of the fat being so amazing...although it is tough to find good meat that hasn't been chemically treated these days.

    I don't know about the folder suggestion -I never claimed to be an expert. I own a Gerber Emerson Design auto folder that I got for free (shh, can't tell) and I love it. I am liking this SOG Trident, the edge is sweet, but I haven't thoroughly tested it yet. The really expensive lines aren't much better than the top line Gerber, SOG, Cold Steel blades as best I can tell. The Cold Steel (formerly known as 'Gunsite' line) folders are PRIME tools. I would stay away from the original AK-47 folder that CS makes and adopt the new version which is outstanding -lighter, more functional as well. Some Gerber folders are excellent, but there are a few that are sub-standard in durability. SOG is a great company, with several choice folders, and their prices aren't too high for many of their blades. For an EDC simple pocket knife, the Swiss folders are probably the best deal out there for the quality. Some Smith and Wesson folders are really good but the majority of them cost more than I feel are worth the cost -buy on sale only, which is a rare opportunity.

    In my opinion, I guess that there is no real "high end" expensive, best folder out there...there's just a lot of really great knives from several companies, and it isn't always best to buy the newest line right away when you can save quite a bit by waiting a few months for the price to drop. All the companies I named are quite decent and I have used them all.

    If you can find a durable folder with positive aspects I listed in the other post I made, and as long as it suits your own needs -I guess that's all there is to it. The cheap, $20 flea market blades made of stainless steel probably won't last too long unless you are only using it once a week to open a box in the mail. Typically, a folder should be a utility blade that can withstand all types of daily abuse, and that means the steel must be top notch. Every company I listed specializes in this to varying degrees.
     
  17. fortunateson

    fortunateson I hate Illinois Nazis!

    Thanks. Makes sense.

    Since I'm happy with the low end products in those brands, I may shift my focus to a higher end line from the same manufacturers. Of course, I'm not sure I'll ever save that money since there's always a $20 sweetie calling my name every time I place an order with sportsman's guide et. al.
     
  18. Hispeedal2

    Hispeedal2 Nay Sayer

    My favorite is a Spyderco Manix. The original, big one. I think the new one (Manix II) is a fair deal, but the original was robust perfection. Most the knife collector geeks wig out at the fact I use mine. It works well. It is a tool.

    ETA: I think one of the best folders out there for not much money is the Buck 110 IMHO. It hasn't changed a whole lot in 50 or so years- it just works. I prefer a lock back. If you have have to baton some wood out with a folder, you will find out why. Today at the flea market, there was a guy selling several at $30 each. He was telling me that Buck will do custom orders on the 110 with whatever handle material and blade steel you want.... that's a pretty sweet deal from a great company if you ask me.

    ETA: found the BUck link:
    http://www.buckknives.com/index.cfm?event=customKnife.build

    ETA: found a thumb stud that works on the 110 as well:
    http://cgi.ebay.com/Lot-2-EZSTUD-Th...ade-Knife-/370367433918?pt=Collectible_Knives
     
  19. Byte

    Byte Monkey+++

    Picked up a Cold Steel Recon Tanto this past weekend from my local Big R store. Wow is it a beefy blade! Definitely not for delicate carving but then I'm pretty sure it wasn't designed for that.

    I'll have to do some splitting/baton work with it soon. It looks like it would split steel pipe just fine.

    Byte

    Hispeedal2, thanks for the buck link. I really like the Alpha Hunter with the black oxide blade and ironwood handles!
     
  20. UGRev

    UGRev Get on with it!

    Yes, it is beefy and no, it wasn't made for carving :)
     
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