Let's talk Knives; The overdue thread.

Just nabbed a lightly used Xancudo with the biner hole for $75. I've wanted one of those for a while now.

 

New toy. Leatherman wave+

 

Those look really neat. I have the Gerber 600B

 

I prefer the leatherman brand vs gerber. Due to the 25 year warranty and the sharpness of the blade right out of the package. I’ve found with the gerber we get issues they just have a basic blade profile and takes a few hours to get somewhat of an edge on it. ( probably just because it’s and issued piece of crap vs store bought)

 

Well I just had this discussion on the ESEE FB page but I don't carry it for the blade. I like the exchangeable cutter inserts and the fast slip deploy of the pliers. I carry some form of knife with it. Usually my Benchmade Freek or more recently my ESEE CR2.5 in a sheath.

In fact I've probably only used the Gerber blade a dozen times in as many years of carrying it.

 

back home I normally carry a leatherman and either a spyderco PM2 or a kershaw Blur

but out here it’s my esee4 and the leatherman

 

Anybody ever handle a benchmade 535 Bugout? If so. What’s it like.

 

I haven't handled one for fear it would follow me home but I really like the look of them.

 

Been looking at then last night. They looked interesting. But a bit expensive ($200CAD) of a gamble when I’ve never held one

 

Doesn't really help you now as it would be a bit of a drive to get there, but Cabela's carries it. Although that still might not give you a good feel for it. And I'm not sure I could convince the wife to let me go check it out for you, as it would possibly follow me home too...

 

A bit of a drive is an understatement. It would be a 16 hour flight, 14 days of quarantine then a 4 hour drive to change than a 2 hour drive back to stop at cabelas.

 

Then the guy with the number# ahead of your number would buy the last one and you have to do the reverse to get back to the never ending beach

 

Will be doing that truck eventually will probably wait out until I can hold it. Might be a Xmas gift to myself for the hard work I’ve been putting in on this last trip. Also possibly looking at getting a new boom stick

 

Yes. You deserve both, plus some.

 

Sold my Benchmade Bushcrafter and traded my Izula for a RAT7. Never loved the Izula for whatever reason. Most of the issue was the plastic sheath I think. I didn't like how it carried so I never carried it.

The Bushcrafter was ok, I thought the sheath was the problem there too so I bought a Charlie Cline leather sheath for it but still never carried it. I guess I just didn't like the knife after all.

Got a KaBar USMC full size and a Benchmade North Fork I'd like to sell as well if anyone is interested.

 

Well it does not have a marlin spike, seems decently priced; Ozark Trail Multiforce multitool. What have your experiences been with this?

 

Can you post a link to that one?

I Am looking for a better marlin spike than the one o have currently

 

Oh, copy just to be clear it does not have a marlin spike, and actually wal-mart sells it! It is a Chinesium copy of leather man wave. It has a real hex bit attachment, and in my area sells for $39. The blade steel is the equal to aus8. As far as link Walmart # 574928895. Still figuring out how to maneuver on here, item number is the best I can come up with for the moment, sorry. Not iPad friendly at the moment either.

 

Oh, crap I just saw your post #mailet282 of your wave, that was no way a jab at you. I picked the tool up on a curiosity, and it has grown on me. Obviously the wave is tried and true, the price point :utility is what drew me in.

 

Not taking it as a jab.
I must of read your initial post wrong regarding the marlin spike

 

In a departure from my recent knife purchases, I bought a SAK.

More precisely, the Rangergrip 78. One had opening, side released liner lock with a saw, and other assorted gadgets. I'm really liking this thing so far. It is larger than I typically like a pocket knife to be however it will allow me to leave the multi-tool at home more often and still not feel under dressed.

 

Been doing some mods to the RAT-7 I traded into.

It was stripped of the factory coating and looked kinda plain.



So the first thing I did was give it a mustard patina to help protect the blade and make it look less like the big plate of 1095 it is.





Next, those micarta scales had to go. They hot spotted in the hands really bad when batoning and chopping. I replaced them with a set of contoured G10 scales from The Knife Connection. Now you can chop and baton to your hearts content with no pain!



Then last night I got a little break from the kids and took a file to the spine to get a nice sharp 90° edge. It'll throw a shower of sparks off my ferro rod now!



The next thing is the sheath. I haven't decided what to do with it yet but the original one is the later version that's not very nice. And on top of that, a previous owner hacked off the MOLLE straps so it's only a belt sheath now. I'm still looking for good options right now.

 

Attempting a new sheath for my esee 4 with a spot for my leatherman wave. Let’s see how this pans out

 

As per advice from somebody on the Esee FB page to remove the clips and vacuum seal everything for a couple days.

 

What does the couple of days vacuum seal accomplish?

 

The vacuum seal helps the wet forming process to mood the leather to the knife and the leatherman. Normally you would add the design onto the sheath then wet form. And after the leather is dry you glue and stitch everything in place

 

Well. Just waiting for the glue to dry now then I will trip and even up the edges and then burnish them. But so far so good

 

Thinking about ordering this. Not much info on it. It’s made out of 1095 high carbon steel.


Just wondering if somebody here has heard of the company?

 

Never heard of them.

With their 100% warranty, any fixed blades will be ESEE for me from now on I think. I mean a guy dropped his 4 in a box he was burning and burned up the knife and ESEE replaced it under warranty....

They've just released the 4 in S35VN as well.

 

I guess we will see. Just ordered it. With my mil discount it came to $100. I am still contemplating getting an esee 3 or 5. Already have a Izumi, 4 and Laser Strike.
But this new knife will be going in my work day bag and staying there for the most part

 

I prefer my 6 to a 5. I think the thinner blade makes it more useful for things around camp or the house. A 5 is 1/4" thick. That's awful thick for a knife. I think it's put that money into a nice hatchet first.

 

It’s funny how the 6 is only 0.75” longer than the 5 but I agree that thickness.

 

Ok. Here are some pictures of the Utica S3

first opinion is that it fits nicely in my hand. The scales feel nice as well


This blade is made out of 1095 High Carbon steel with a blade length of 3.5” and a total length of 9.25”. It has a fire steel and striker built I to the sheath as well as a “ sharpener”

 

Good looking little blade.