Piedmont Plinker
Member
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2006
- Messages
- 941
I am turning fifteen Tuesday. I had asked for some Case an Moore Maker yellow handle knives. Carbon steel blades, and all that. Everybody knows how much we love them.
Well, my Dad said today- Lets go to the gun/knife store, get you a nice knife for your birthday.
I said, I already told Mom the knives I want.
He said, I told her not to get you those. We'll get you anice knife, one that will last a long time. I'll spend $150 on it.
So, we went to the gun/knife store. After the customary gawking at the revolvers, I went over to the large knife counter. The first glass case I looked at was for the REALLY expenisve knives. There were some Sebenzas, some Eishweizes, etc. There was one nice slipjoint I spied, a nice coke bottle single blade, with a leather slip. I believe it was made by Bob May. I looked at it, but it didn't do it for me.
I then looked at Bark River fixed blades, namely the Lil Chute and the Lil Somethenorother, looked like it was designed for skinning.
But, I didn't use fixed blades that much. I decided to go for folder.
I looked at Cases. There weren't really in handle materials, patterns, or prices I liked.
I bipassed the Spyderco counter. I don't much care for Spydercos. I glanced at some Cold Steels, but again, they didn't really do it for me.
So that left me in the counter with the Benchmades, Emersons, and Al Mars.
I looked at a Benchmade 950, and an Emerson with an upswept blade. I liked the Benchmade, a lot, but it wasn't really what I wanted. I the looked at the Emerson. For sheer cutting power, I was impressed. However, for a liner lock, it was very hard to open one-handed. I put it my pocket and drew it out, hoping for the Wave to not slice my fingers off, but nothing happened. The sales clerk then said you something like jeans to make the Wave work. I was wearing fairly thin shorts. This is North Carolina, and I wear shorts for a good portion of the year, so I didn't go for the Emerson.
I then looked at the Al Mar SERE 2000. I really liked it. Nice, easy to open, cofortable handle, good solid liner lock.
I was thinking about it, and I still wanted something a little more...pretty, if you know what I mean.
Right next to it in its case was the Al Mar Eagle Talon.
I got it.
It is a very nice knife. It is 5" long with a 4" blade- Buck 110 style. The handles are black micarta, which look very nice next to the nickle bolsters. I think it looks like Buck 110 and a Slimline Trapper had a kid. It is very comfortable, though it is a little big. It has a lanyard hole and four pinds, with brass bolsters. It has dual thumb studs and I can flick it open with a single hard push. For such a big knife, it pockets quite well, and weighs only four ounces!
The blade is not marked with steel, only with the Al Mar logo and the place of manufacture (Japan, I'm guessing Seki). Knivesplus says it is AUS-8. Now, I've had good experiences with Kershaw AUS-8, and this tops this. It is very sharp. It's one of the sharpest knives I own (my Superknife and EAB are the sharpest, but they don't count). It's good AUS-8 regardless. The tip is also sharp, but as the false edge isn't sharpened, I should be OK.
It came with a leather slip. It is a nice slip, has the Al Mar logo on it (anybody know what the Japanese charachter means?)
Unfortunately, I think I must have done something stupid during my numerous hours of playing with the knife. I think I must have slipped the knife, open, into the slip, sheath style (I played with it while watching TV) It severed the threading, leaving the slip currently open at the bottom. However, there are already holes for stiching, and I (rather my mom, I couldn't sew two pieces of felt together) can stitch it back. It carries well in this slip.
And something thaat makes mine unique: it is first production. 072 of 200. Says there right on the blade.
Overall, it is a very nice knife. It is the right fusion of traditional and tactical, and does what a knife should do, cuts, very well.
I would recommend it. It isn't cheap, at $135, but it is worth it.
Well, my Dad said today- Lets go to the gun/knife store, get you a nice knife for your birthday.
I said, I already told Mom the knives I want.
He said, I told her not to get you those. We'll get you anice knife, one that will last a long time. I'll spend $150 on it.
So, we went to the gun/knife store. After the customary gawking at the revolvers, I went over to the large knife counter. The first glass case I looked at was for the REALLY expenisve knives. There were some Sebenzas, some Eishweizes, etc. There was one nice slipjoint I spied, a nice coke bottle single blade, with a leather slip. I believe it was made by Bob May. I looked at it, but it didn't do it for me.
I then looked at Bark River fixed blades, namely the Lil Chute and the Lil Somethenorother, looked like it was designed for skinning.
But, I didn't use fixed blades that much. I decided to go for folder.
I looked at Cases. There weren't really in handle materials, patterns, or prices I liked.
I bipassed the Spyderco counter. I don't much care for Spydercos. I glanced at some Cold Steels, but again, they didn't really do it for me.
So that left me in the counter with the Benchmades, Emersons, and Al Mars.
I looked at a Benchmade 950, and an Emerson with an upswept blade. I liked the Benchmade, a lot, but it wasn't really what I wanted. I the looked at the Emerson. For sheer cutting power, I was impressed. However, for a liner lock, it was very hard to open one-handed. I put it my pocket and drew it out, hoping for the Wave to not slice my fingers off, but nothing happened. The sales clerk then said you something like jeans to make the Wave work. I was wearing fairly thin shorts. This is North Carolina, and I wear shorts for a good portion of the year, so I didn't go for the Emerson.
I then looked at the Al Mar SERE 2000. I really liked it. Nice, easy to open, cofortable handle, good solid liner lock.
I was thinking about it, and I still wanted something a little more...pretty, if you know what I mean.
Right next to it in its case was the Al Mar Eagle Talon.
I got it.
It is a very nice knife. It is 5" long with a 4" blade- Buck 110 style. The handles are black micarta, which look very nice next to the nickle bolsters. I think it looks like Buck 110 and a Slimline Trapper had a kid. It is very comfortable, though it is a little big. It has a lanyard hole and four pinds, with brass bolsters. It has dual thumb studs and I can flick it open with a single hard push. For such a big knife, it pockets quite well, and weighs only four ounces!
The blade is not marked with steel, only with the Al Mar logo and the place of manufacture (Japan, I'm guessing Seki). Knivesplus says it is AUS-8. Now, I've had good experiences with Kershaw AUS-8, and this tops this. It is very sharp. It's one of the sharpest knives I own (my Superknife and EAB are the sharpest, but they don't count). It's good AUS-8 regardless. The tip is also sharp, but as the false edge isn't sharpened, I should be OK.
It came with a leather slip. It is a nice slip, has the Al Mar logo on it (anybody know what the Japanese charachter means?)
Unfortunately, I think I must have done something stupid during my numerous hours of playing with the knife. I think I must have slipped the knife, open, into the slip, sheath style (I played with it while watching TV) It severed the threading, leaving the slip currently open at the bottom. However, there are already holes for stiching, and I (rather my mom, I couldn't sew two pieces of felt together) can stitch it back. It carries well in this slip.
And something thaat makes mine unique: it is first production. 072 of 200. Says there right on the blade.
Overall, it is a very nice knife. It is the right fusion of traditional and tactical, and does what a knife should do, cuts, very well.
I would recommend it. It isn't cheap, at $135, but it is worth it.
