Grayman Knives Sub-Saharan 7
Apr 29, 2013 23:34:42 GMT
Post by sword on Apr 29, 2013 23:34:42 GMT
Just got my new Sub-Saharan 7 from Grayman knives. Here are a few thoughts on the knife and the company.
First off, their customer service is great. I had a quick question before ordering, so I e-mailed the company. I received a reply in about ten minutes, even though it was nearly seven at night. I put in my order and got a prompt confirmation and was told when my knife would be shipped (within 5 days, as their site promises).
Got my knife today. It came in its sheath wrapped in paper. On the paper is a nice note from the knife maker, Mike. Nice touch.
Anyway, on to the important part, the knife. The Grayman Sub-Saharan 7 has a 7"x 2" blade and is about 13" overall length. It's made of 1/4" 1095 Carbon Steel, double edged and single bevel. It has a black duracoat finish and green, textured G10 handles. It also has a good choil and a hole in the handle for a lanyard. The Sub-Saharan comes in 5, 7, 8, and 10 inch blade sizes. I chose the 7 thinking it was big enough for minor chopping and digging, but not too big to be 'tactical'. The picture shows one with black grips instead of green.
Picking it up, the knife was solid but not too heavy. The G10 handles are comfortable and grippy; the fit and finish of the handles/grip is perfect. The Sub-Saharan feels great in the hand. I found it easy to choke back on the handle for chopping, or forward for more intricate cutting. There's a good thumb ramp and choil for this. The handles are also shaped pretty well for a reverse grip. If you're one who tends to use a reverse grip with your thumb on top of the handle, you'll find that the handle is curved just right for that (blade forward).
Now to the blade. The shape of the blade is curvy and cool. It's wider just behind the tip, then tapers slightly toward the handle, putting the weight/balance of the blade in a good place for chopping. All Grayman knives are shipped with what they call a 'toothy working edge'. I believe it's meant to be a more durable edge, and suitable for tough tasks. In any case, the blade was very sharp out of the box. The edge does look a little different when you inspect it, but it cuts great.
I was able to shave hair off my arm, and slice through paper and cardboard cleanly. I choked and choiled and was able to do some fine shaving for a fire stick. I cut small limbs with relative ease and chopped some branches of about 2" diameter. The shape and weight of the blade seems to help with chopping. All in all, I thought it did everything well, though I didn't push its limits as far as chopping bigger stuff or batoning. Grayman does free engraving (up to 15 letters) on each knife, on the edge of the tang between the handle pieces. A lot of soldiers have 'Death to Al Qaeda' engraved on theirs, but in their honor I went with 'Freedom' instead.
The Sub-Saharan is advertised as a fighter/utility knife. I found it a good utility knife, but i'm no expert on the tactical side. It is comfortable in a variety of grips and the double edge (partial on one side) seems like it would really aid in slashing forehand and backhand. It would also facilitate stabbing, and the shape of the blade would create a large 'wound channel'. So, though I don't expect to ever use the knife in combat, I think the knife would do well if it came to that. Also, the single bevel edge is supposedly easier to sharpen in the field, though I can't speak to that. I'll leave the single/double bevel argument to you guys who know a lot more about knives than I do.
That brings us to the sheath. The sheath for the SS7 is tan cordura with kydex inside it that is heat molded to the knife. A single snap holds the knife in place, though the kydex holds it pretty securely, even upside down. There's an adjustable strap down the back for belt or MOLLE attachment, and the sheath is very MOLLE compatible. Lastly, the sheath for the SS7 has a paracord leg strap.
Lastly, Grayman knives are guaranteed for life, and if you ever want it sharpened, just send it in and the maker will sharpen it and send it back. Here's the Grayman Sub-Saharan page:
www.graymanknives.com/subs.html
So overall pros:
Excellent, friendly customer service
Good weight and feel.
Comfortable, textured grips
Sexy blade shape
Good for close up work to minor chopping, and probably more.
Also has tactical applications.
Good sheath at no extra cost.
Lifetime guarantee
Cons:
Pricey, to some at $310.00
Not everyone likes a single bevel blade
First off, their customer service is great. I had a quick question before ordering, so I e-mailed the company. I received a reply in about ten minutes, even though it was nearly seven at night. I put in my order and got a prompt confirmation and was told when my knife would be shipped (within 5 days, as their site promises).
Got my knife today. It came in its sheath wrapped in paper. On the paper is a nice note from the knife maker, Mike. Nice touch.
Anyway, on to the important part, the knife. The Grayman Sub-Saharan 7 has a 7"x 2" blade and is about 13" overall length. It's made of 1/4" 1095 Carbon Steel, double edged and single bevel. It has a black duracoat finish and green, textured G10 handles. It also has a good choil and a hole in the handle for a lanyard. The Sub-Saharan comes in 5, 7, 8, and 10 inch blade sizes. I chose the 7 thinking it was big enough for minor chopping and digging, but not too big to be 'tactical'. The picture shows one with black grips instead of green.
Picking it up, the knife was solid but not too heavy. The G10 handles are comfortable and grippy; the fit and finish of the handles/grip is perfect. The Sub-Saharan feels great in the hand. I found it easy to choke back on the handle for chopping, or forward for more intricate cutting. There's a good thumb ramp and choil for this. The handles are also shaped pretty well for a reverse grip. If you're one who tends to use a reverse grip with your thumb on top of the handle, you'll find that the handle is curved just right for that (blade forward).
Now to the blade. The shape of the blade is curvy and cool. It's wider just behind the tip, then tapers slightly toward the handle, putting the weight/balance of the blade in a good place for chopping. All Grayman knives are shipped with what they call a 'toothy working edge'. I believe it's meant to be a more durable edge, and suitable for tough tasks. In any case, the blade was very sharp out of the box. The edge does look a little different when you inspect it, but it cuts great.
I was able to shave hair off my arm, and slice through paper and cardboard cleanly. I choked and choiled and was able to do some fine shaving for a fire stick. I cut small limbs with relative ease and chopped some branches of about 2" diameter. The shape and weight of the blade seems to help with chopping. All in all, I thought it did everything well, though I didn't push its limits as far as chopping bigger stuff or batoning. Grayman does free engraving (up to 15 letters) on each knife, on the edge of the tang between the handle pieces. A lot of soldiers have 'Death to Al Qaeda' engraved on theirs, but in their honor I went with 'Freedom' instead.
The Sub-Saharan is advertised as a fighter/utility knife. I found it a good utility knife, but i'm no expert on the tactical side. It is comfortable in a variety of grips and the double edge (partial on one side) seems like it would really aid in slashing forehand and backhand. It would also facilitate stabbing, and the shape of the blade would create a large 'wound channel'. So, though I don't expect to ever use the knife in combat, I think the knife would do well if it came to that. Also, the single bevel edge is supposedly easier to sharpen in the field, though I can't speak to that. I'll leave the single/double bevel argument to you guys who know a lot more about knives than I do.
That brings us to the sheath. The sheath for the SS7 is tan cordura with kydex inside it that is heat molded to the knife. A single snap holds the knife in place, though the kydex holds it pretty securely, even upside down. There's an adjustable strap down the back for belt or MOLLE attachment, and the sheath is very MOLLE compatible. Lastly, the sheath for the SS7 has a paracord leg strap.
Lastly, Grayman knives are guaranteed for life, and if you ever want it sharpened, just send it in and the maker will sharpen it and send it back. Here's the Grayman Sub-Saharan page:
www.graymanknives.com/subs.html
So overall pros:
Excellent, friendly customer service
Good weight and feel.
Comfortable, textured grips
Sexy blade shape
Good for close up work to minor chopping, and probably more.
Also has tactical applications.
Good sheath at no extra cost.
Lifetime guarantee
Cons:
Pricey, to some at $310.00
Not everyone likes a single bevel blade