(
Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Overall Quality, Blade Material, Materials
Cons: Sheath/Scabbard, Blade Sharpness
Great Knife for the RIght Person
After considerable debate, I just returned this knife. It's definitely an impressive knife, with great lines, and clearly hand made. I bought it, in part, due to the appealing ergonomic handle. Sadly, it doesn't fit my hand in it's most natural position. In a hammer grip, it fits perfectly, and reverse grip feels good. But in my common hybrid filipino saber grip, with my thumb on top, my ring finger and pinkie slide down the handle whenever I tighten my grasp. I was also surprised that the top edge is only sharpened on the first half. The remaining false edge is slightly too thick to sharpen without being thick enough to impart an obvious strength benefit. This may come down to personal preference. Less stellar was the overall sharpness of the blade. Even the sharpest spots posed no danger to the hair on my arm. But that's easily fixed. Questionable, though, is the overall steepness of the grind. The narrow tanto shape doesn't lend itself to double edged blades, especially with the rather thick (3/16"?) steel being carried down the length of the blade. This certainly insures strength, and I probably would make the same trade-off, but it's worth noting. Finally, I agree with the one other review I saw among these knives that faults the sheath. It does seem a bit flimsy, especially in comparison to the muscular heft of the knife itself. Easily fixed, again. All in all, it was hard to part with this knife, even though it's not perfect for me. It's a great piece of design and execution, and were I made of money, I'd certainly want it in my collection. And honestly, I may try one of the other variations before I look for a new maker. I still like them that much.