I haven't had much time to get out and about to look at knives and tools here at SHOT since I've been in 5120 most of the time supporting the small armor R&D company Whitehorse, BUT I have been able to handle a few interesting things. Not having a good camera I've snagged pictures from various other sources.
HTM, Hand Tech Made, is a Darryl Ralph-Randal King "mid-tech" collaboration producing some very nice, and well priced, custom quality folders and fixed blades. The most impressive looking is a huge assisted opening Mad Maxx folder based on the knife Darryl made for the Expendables movie. The grip is highly figured Ti alloy, the blade is a huge chisel tip 154 CM with. The guards are also the blade stops and help to give the knife a menacing look. The assisted opening mechanism gives it brisk, but manageable, snap open that puts a grin on your face. There are only going to be 150 of these knives made so anyone interested should be contacting Darryl and HTM TODAY.
Gunhammer assists and autos from HTM have a carved textured hard anodized grip with the familiar 154 CM angular recurve blade. The chiseled looking 6061T6 grip is both grippy and smooth without being abrasive. The combination of chiseling and bead blast/anodizing makes the knife very comfortable in the hand. The slide/plunge button on the autos is intuitive while avoiding the use of a separate safety. The knives open with a authoritative snap without trying to "helicopter" out of your hand. They come in black and "copper" coatings, black being my preference (but plenty of people were gobbling up the copper pieces).
Darryl hasn't forgotten those of us that like straight pointy folding daggers either. He has 3 sizes of assist Mad Maxx daggers at HTM, 3,4 and 5 inch folding assisted opening daggers with carved carbon fiber "onserts" on the gray anodized body makes for a very nice looking knife.
HTM has a very nice 6" fixed blade that Randal had designed. I have an early version that I've put to use and the HTM is a nicer looking improved version. Slim and well balanced it fits comfortably in the hand. G10 scales with a red liner are seamlessly mounted on the full tang "semitanto".
There's also a very nice 6Al4V Ti neck knife designed by new maker/designer Dirk Pinkerton. Dirk apprenticed with Darryl and has a very different design sense producing sharply angular knives with acute points well designed for piecing and ripping. His small Ti neck knife is a finger ring little dart and carries without notice in the silvery thermoplastic neck sheath. It is easily accessible and makes for a great "get OFF me" tool.
***
Camillus is back and with some very nice knives. There's a carbon fiber folder that looks much like the William Henry Lancet, but at a fraction of the price. The ti-carbonitride sputter coated blade is smooth and easy to open. The carbon fiber scaled liner lock is comfortable. The knife is just pretty while being useful without being scary. Just right for the office in dress pants. There are a range of other folders that fit the office to jobsite to field use. All have the ti-carbonitride coating that gives a nice lubricity to the opening of the folders. My favorite, though is the bushcraft knife they've produced. With a 4 inch ti-carbonitride coated blade of just about the perfect size and shape to toss in a pack or carry on belt, it fits your hand comfortably and looks "sharp" as well. They need to improve the AUS8 steel for this little jewel since it is perfect for hard use. A D2 or other carbon steel under the coating would be a huge improvement. For lighter duty the AUS8 will serve, but limits the potential of this knife.
***
ESEE had their prototype folders and I was suitably impressed. The design of the frame lock is probably going to change (adjustment mechanism is too prone to collecting lint/grit/debris and jamming), but the knife and steel or Ti frame lock is a solid design built like a tank. The blade is their excellent 4 inch fixed turned to service on the folder. Since ESEE can be trusted to make nothing that isn't a solid field survival tool you can bet this folder is going to be something you can bet your life on.
Gotta get back to work. More later.
HTM, Hand Tech Made, is a Darryl Ralph-Randal King "mid-tech" collaboration producing some very nice, and well priced, custom quality folders and fixed blades. The most impressive looking is a huge assisted opening Mad Maxx folder based on the knife Darryl made for the Expendables movie. The grip is highly figured Ti alloy, the blade is a huge chisel tip 154 CM with. The guards are also the blade stops and help to give the knife a menacing look. The assisted opening mechanism gives it brisk, but manageable, snap open that puts a grin on your face. There are only going to be 150 of these knives made so anyone interested should be contacting Darryl and HTM TODAY.
Gunhammer assists and autos from HTM have a carved textured hard anodized grip with the familiar 154 CM angular recurve blade. The chiseled looking 6061T6 grip is both grippy and smooth without being abrasive. The combination of chiseling and bead blast/anodizing makes the knife very comfortable in the hand. The slide/plunge button on the autos is intuitive while avoiding the use of a separate safety. The knives open with a authoritative snap without trying to "helicopter" out of your hand. They come in black and "copper" coatings, black being my preference (but plenty of people were gobbling up the copper pieces).
Darryl hasn't forgotten those of us that like straight pointy folding daggers either. He has 3 sizes of assist Mad Maxx daggers at HTM, 3,4 and 5 inch folding assisted opening daggers with carved carbon fiber "onserts" on the gray anodized body makes for a very nice looking knife.
HTM has a very nice 6" fixed blade that Randal had designed. I have an early version that I've put to use and the HTM is a nicer looking improved version. Slim and well balanced it fits comfortably in the hand. G10 scales with a red liner are seamlessly mounted on the full tang "semitanto".
There's also a very nice 6Al4V Ti neck knife designed by new maker/designer Dirk Pinkerton. Dirk apprenticed with Darryl and has a very different design sense producing sharply angular knives with acute points well designed for piecing and ripping. His small Ti neck knife is a finger ring little dart and carries without notice in the silvery thermoplastic neck sheath. It is easily accessible and makes for a great "get OFF me" tool.
***
Camillus is back and with some very nice knives. There's a carbon fiber folder that looks much like the William Henry Lancet, but at a fraction of the price. The ti-carbonitride sputter coated blade is smooth and easy to open. The carbon fiber scaled liner lock is comfortable. The knife is just pretty while being useful without being scary. Just right for the office in dress pants. There are a range of other folders that fit the office to jobsite to field use. All have the ti-carbonitride coating that gives a nice lubricity to the opening of the folders. My favorite, though is the bushcraft knife they've produced. With a 4 inch ti-carbonitride coated blade of just about the perfect size and shape to toss in a pack or carry on belt, it fits your hand comfortably and looks "sharp" as well. They need to improve the AUS8 steel for this little jewel since it is perfect for hard use. A D2 or other carbon steel under the coating would be a huge improvement. For lighter duty the AUS8 will serve, but limits the potential of this knife.
***
ESEE had their prototype folders and I was suitably impressed. The design of the frame lock is probably going to change (adjustment mechanism is too prone to collecting lint/grit/debris and jamming), but the knife and steel or Ti frame lock is a solid design built like a tank. The blade is their excellent 4 inch fixed turned to service on the folder. Since ESEE can be trusted to make nothing that isn't a solid field survival tool you can bet this folder is going to be something you can bet your life on.
Gotta get back to work. More later.
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