Professional Soldiers ® - Choosing a pocket folding knife.

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- - Choosing a pocket folding knife. (http://www.professionalsoldiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=740)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Harsey (Post 7208)

Air.177, The A/F folder was originally designed and prototyped by me for Col. Rex Applegate. I told the Col. what I'd done with his fixed blade after the fact. This worked out well because Gerber Legendary Blades in Portland Oregon picked up the knife and is continuing to do a very good job producing it. I brought in Butch Vallotton (famous auto opener knife maker) to help with the production of the custom versions of this knife. Those A/F folders are marked "Harsey-Vallotton". They were made with 154CM Steel, titanium handle frames and micarta handle scales. This custom A/F was featured on the cover of the very first issue of Tactical Knives magazine. IMPORTANT NOTE: Butch brought the key to making this folder a successful design. I had the profile nailed down but not the configuration of the folding joint. This was tricky because we wanted to rotate the entire blade into the handle so we could sharpen the top edge and still have it protected when closed. The geometry of the joint determines if we can do this or not. Butch came up with the concept of using the thumb studs on the blade as the stop pins for both the open and closed position. This let us keep lot's of steel around the joint of the knife, that is we didn't have to make a deep relief notch at the base of the blade to rotate full closed around an internal stop pin like on conventional liner locks. Keeping my mouth shut and letting Butch work that out really paid off. I then produced the hardened steel (D-2) master drill pattern plates that let us reproduce this mechanism for the custom run of knives. Pleae note that many other people who have knife companies thought this was a fine idea and now use it in their knives. DON"T EVER LET MY WIFE FIND THIS OUT: Maybe once or twice during this project Butch called and needed my help on the A/F folders down at his shop just off the Umpqua River. The correct weather conditions seemed to match this call for help. Upon my arrival the problem would be solved fast and rest of the day might have been spent fishing for smallmouth bass. That was a long time ago, don't have time to pull that off now. Bill

Sorry if I'm reviving an old thread, but there's a lot of great info here.

My first knife was a Gerber Applegate-Fairbarn combat folder.

Thank you, Mr. Harsey, for bringing it to life.

The fact that it still stings to think that I lost it...well, i wish I had another one....

BTW, i also have a Lone Wolf T2. :D

Punisher_nbi45....Usually the illiterate are excused here, but you posted, so you are obviously not ignorant; you just follow your own rules…and you dug up and old thread to boot!! Well by golly, that there is an attention getter if I ever seen one…and in a TS Thread no less:munchin

Punisher -

1. Go here - http://www.professionalsoldiers.com/...ead.php?t=3452

2. Follow the rules or....

3. Good luck.

Richard's $.02 :munchin

TS,
Have you thought about giving MSG Breed a call? He makes awesome folders and stands behind his work with a guarantee. If you want more info I have his number.

Team Sergeant, I know I'm a little late to the game, but a knife that was handy as hell to me working as a door maker was a Speed Bump, made by Kershaw knives. I've been wanting to get the Spec-Bump (the tactical version)
but have not had the money. You can get them for I think, under a $150.

The recurve, the straight edge, and the over all ergonomics were excellent on the Speed Bump. On the Spec-Bump you get G10 grips and S30V steel. Hope this helps.

I was introduced to the Emerson commander by Henk Iverson while under his "care" at the Lone Operator course. Its an amazing piece of work. Henk recommends avoiding the serrated version.. as he says it will "catch on ribs.. and he'll run off with your knife"

Quote:

Originally Posted by foxtrot_70 (Post 316718)

Ernie Emerson is both a great guy and knifemaker.

My *preference is always for non serrated blades but if sharp they cut difficult materials very well.

*because I have the luxury of using knives in fairly calm and relatively tame conditions.

Ernie is a great guy, absolutely!

However I'd recommend framelock Emerson for a duty knife. CQC12 "Comrade" is probably Ernies best folder ever - big & strong with thick titanium framelock and WAVE of course. It's available both as custom and production version.

I carried a Gerber Gator for AGES, until I used it as a pry-bar one too many times. After that I picked up a cheap Buck folder in Fred Myers until I accidentally donated it to the Tampa TSA screener last month.

I just picked up a CRKT M21-14SF folder that seems to be well made. Purchased online, it was a little larger than it looked in the pictures but still fits well in my pocket. I really like the size and weight. The "Carson Flippers" are very nice for speedy opening, both with fingers or catching on the pocket.

Description Page

The LAWKS system looks pretty solid. I'm not going to do any destructive testing, but I will use the knife any chance I get.

I was in Wade's Gun Shop here in Bellevue the other day looking at handguns and I ended up walking out with a Chris Reeve Umnumzaan. (Oops.) :p

Thing is rock solid, incredibly smooth, and definitely the nicest knife I've had the chance to play with. The lock is very positive, there is absolutely zero play in the blade, and it actually does open very quietly which I appreciate. Obviously if you really flick it hard it does make a clicking noise, but it's totally possible to open it up fairly quickly and have it lock without making much noise at all, which I consider to be a useful feature.

not that my .02 is worth much in regards to others expereinces here

but I carry 2 folders

Columbia River M21 "carson" combo edge

Lone Wolf Harsey D2 (Auto)

they both serve there purpose well for the money

but I'm a huge Fan of Harsey:)

I carry a variety of tactical folders to include a "Perseco" by Pat Crawford, a "CQC-13" by Ernie Emerson and a "Skorpin" by Duane Carrillo (Airkat). Which is my favorite?? That's hard to say, as I like them all.

I carried the Spyderco Kris (ED Shemp sp?) on duty for a few years. It was an excellent knife. VG-10 steel holds an edge and is easy to re-sharpen.

I carried the original BM 800BTS and 812BTS (AFCK). I had a liner lock failure. BM sent me the AFCK D2 Axis. D2 is a great steel. Holds an edge longer than the VG-10 but is a little harder to sharpen.

Carried the CRK Sabenza for six months straight. I feel S30V is a great steel when treated correctly. Never had a chip with the Sabenza's S30V. I will give you this warning-it is a well done knife. The fit and finish are superb-second to none. I stopped EDC of the Sabenza because I was ruining a piece of art work.

I used the Halo by Microtech on my vest. It was the only one I attached to my vest. The Microtech LUDT and SOCOM have held up well for me over the years. The Scarab and Combat Troodon have been excellent. I had a firing problem will the regular Troodon (two models) . I traded it in for the larger Combat Troodon without a problem.

Emerson/Benchmade Specwar CQC7 has held up well for the past 13-14 years.

I gave my SOG Recondo to one of my LEO partners getting deployed with the 19th. BG-42 is one of my favorite blade steels. The have a Spyderco Military with CF scales and BG-42 steel that was disco'd a few years back that I T&E'd. I loved it.

Hope this is helpful. Stay safe.

Lone wolf Knives-Once again no chipping ever of the S30V. As you look at the Lone Wolf there is quite a bit of innovation. I remember the first time I picked up the Double Duty (DA) I thought-that was smart. You'll notice fit and finnish is beautiful. The customer service is very good. I called to ask a question and they were great. I'll echo what has been said already.

If I was coming out of retirement:
1. Lone Wolf T3
2. Emerson CQC12, UBR Commander, Super CQC8, CQC15, or CQC11
3. Spyder Manix (Eric Glasser) or Chinook (James Keating).

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragonram7 (Post 323237)

Hope this is helpful...

What would be helpful is the new guys reading their registration email and follow the instructions contained therein.

You have a PM...

Crip

DR7:

Please review the board rules and stickies and comply before posting again.

TR

While I own a bunch of knives from different makers, the folding knife I carry is a custom that my friend and mentor Charles Marlowe made for me. It's his Squail model. I also occasionally carry one of his Slimline folders, and a ZT300CF in my bag as a backup. The ZT hasn't cut anything since I started carrying the Squail.

Charles builds his liner and frame locks with Bob Terzoula's failsafe as described Bob's book, "The Tactical Folding Knife." I have never had the lock on one of Charles' knives fail on me. If I were to apply enough pressure to do that, the lock bar would wedge against the lock face and the knife would seize in the open position. My Squail has nearly 200 spinewhacks on it now. I can think of very few knives out there that I would try that with. Hell, I've popped the locks on knives just slapping the spine of the blade into the palm of my hand. Not cool.

Prior to my experience with the Terzoula failsafe, my favorite lock with the Axis, which I think is an outstanding system.

Oh, and once I get finished building my first liner locks for Blade this year, that ZT is getting retired or sold. :D

I mainly EDC a fixed blade. The one folder I've recently aquired is a ZT 200. This would be one that I would carry on a regular basis. I'm also fond of the Al Mar Sere 2000.
Scott