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Can't go wrong with carbon and s90v
what do you guys use for pocket knives?
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Benchmade mini bugout 533-3, 2.82"drop point, s90v, carbon fiber with blue anodized spacer and thumb stud. Classy AF
I’ve been looking at that one for a while. How do you find the scales? Are they grippy or smooth?
They are smooth but not slippery. So I wouldn't say "grippy" because they're not overtly textured like the griptillian. In other words, that pattern that you see in the carbon scales doesn't correspond to a checked texture that you can feel or anything. But the material itself is not slippery by any means, if that makes sense.
Cool. How do you find the size of the mini bugout vs the full size bugout?
Is the mini length more convenient for the carry?
Is the mini length more convenient for the carry?
I dunno because I don't have a fullsize bugout, unfortunately. My other benchmade is a mini-griptilian 556-1. But even compared to that, the mini-bugout is about half the weight (82g mini grip; 46g mini bugout). The minigrip also has a thicker handle (0.51" mini grip; 0.42" mini bugout) and thicker blade (2.8mm mini grip; 2.3mm mini bugout).
I just carry in my front right pocket using the stock pocket clip. I've carried the mini grip for years and it's very unobtrusive with jeans, a little bit noticeable with some kinds of shorts and slacks. The mini bugout I literally just got today but it completely disappears into jeans, you can't even feel it.
Cool! I was really looking at the 533-3, but haven’t pulled the trigger yet, as I was struggling to justify how pretty it is (same reason I don’t have Damascus blades any more), as I’d be worried about using it and scratching it up. My ugly Spydies however I have no such hesitation.
Really interested in your experiences using it over the next few months.
Really interested in your experiences using it over the next few months.
Lol I get it. I had the same concern but @ptolemy was selling it BNIB for a really nice price so I had to pull the trigger (thanks, @ptolemy !).
I wouldn't worry too much about the blade though. It's mono s90v at 59-61hrc so pretty scratch, ding, and chip resistant i should think, and the satin finish looks pretty forgiving too. The 20cv blade on my mini griptilian is pretty similar and after years' worth of breaking down cardboard it's hardly worse for wear.
Not sure yet how the carbon fiber scales will hold up. The g10 on the mini griptilian is pretty durable though.
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Some recent carries:
Some maintenance:
Some maintenance:
here's the blade on the mini grip 20cv after ~8 years of use, hand sharpened once:
Just some scuffing near the edge and minor, stray scratches. Also some extremely micro microchipping down at the very edge. Don't remember what caused that, maybe some careless whittling? I think that if you only use it to cut stuff it's supposed to cut, the blade isn't gonna get all f'd up.
[edit] the slight pattern you can see on the primary bevel is reflection. I set a low bevel that was probably wider than it needed to be but i think it's usually a good idea to thin a just a little at the same time of sharpening.
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He's concerned about sharpening the rockstead because it is a perfect mirror. I got one before a mirror polished honyaki and I was shocked because I was expecting it to be near rockstead level, god our honyakis have so many scratches. When I say perfect I mean perfect. They are literally flawless. Some stray sharpening slurry will make havoc:
Also it's a fully scandi grind, to be honest I'm not exactly sure what I would be doing. Just a very obtuse angle? There is no microbevel
Good on you for taking care of them that way, i've never tried taking one of these guys apart
Hualicopter
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Yea the international shipping back to Japan is what has me hesitating becuase it'll be expensive and risk of getting lost. Any particular reason why you didn't keep them? I have some nicer knives but I keep going back to my cheaper ones since they work well, and I'm not as worried about messing them up.
Hualicopter
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Rocksteads are really works of art!that finish is crazy
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Miss mine quite a bit, even more impressive to think it's 67hrc ZDP. Super smooth action too, like a sebenza but 3x smoother lol:that finish is crazy
My favorite finish is the smokey mirror on my shirogorov, it's a fully mirror polished s125v blade and then lightly stonewashed. It's cool because on most angles it's perfectly mirrored, and on some angles you see all the stonewash. It hides wear super well, a compromise where you can have a full mirror, but hides some wear:
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Really only money. I have like 15 knives, most custom and are really pricey. I live on a dangerous line of having too many knives, and there are quite a few times where I need to sell knives I really like. I would like to get a rockstead again, probably will but I'm not looking to spend more money atm. Criticisms are, higher lockbar tension than I like, a little heavier than I like at least on the ironwood, frame was steel. I had a Ti higo 2 which was a lot lighter. Again sharpening is a little bit of a pain. I am more gentle with it when it's in my pocket because I know I don't want to mess up the mirror when cutting. Besides that....don't think there are any real downsides.
Hualicopter
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Woah, I've never seen that finish on a Shiro before! Looks gorgeous. I've thought about selling all my pocket knvies to fund a Rockstead, but I think I'd still be a little bit off from buying one heh. I'm contemplating saving up and dropping by the store if I end up going back to Tokyo next year.
