Fehrman Last Chance Review
Jun 1, 2013 22:09:30 GMT
Post by sword on Jun 1, 2013 22:09:30 GMT
Okay, first customer service and the ordering process. I ordered online from the Fehrman website and got an e-mail confirmation. Though their site said standard delivery time is 2-4 weeks, four weeks came and went and I hadn't heard anything. I know quality takes time, so I waited. Eventually I sent them a message through their contact page. There was no response. After a week I sent another. Nothing. I eventually called and a very nice woman said I should call back in a few weeks and 'maybe someone could tell me when my knife might be ready'. After two months I wasn't sure if I was ever getting my knife. I had given up on hearing anything from Fehrman. Then, after about nine weeks, I got the e-mail that said my knife had been shipped. I've heard great things about their customer service, but my experience was different. Take it however you want.
Anyway, my knife arrived sharp out of the box. Their site says they don't sharpen them to a razor edge since they're designed for chopping and hard use, but mine was hair-shaving sharp. The first thing I noticed was how beefy and solid the knife felt. I loved the feel of it right away. The fit and finish of it is excellent in all respects. There are no hot spots or awkward edges, everything is smooth and ergonomic. Overall, the Last Chance is a beautiful piece of work.
The Last Chance is not a big knife, but it feels like it. It's 11" overall and the blade is 5.5". What makes it so hefty is that the blade is 1.68" wide, and 1/4" thick. The blade is a chunky, solid beast. I ordered mine with the black powder coat finish which was also flawless. (A satin finish is another option). The handles are cushioned linen micarta, textured. As I said the fit and finish are great, and the handles are comfortable in saber and reverse grips.
The sheath is a story in itself. I ordered the black leather version, which is well made and good quality. The odd thing is how huge it is. First off, the knife blade, as I mentioned is really wide. Then, the sheath is more than twice as wide as the blade. In addition, there are plastic rings on either side that protrude another inch on either side.
So the sheath is 3.75 inches wide and, with the rings, the whole thing is about 6" wide. It seems absurdly large for a fairly small knife. Also I wonder how long the plastic rings will hold up. The good thing is that the sheath and knife feel great on the hip. You almost forget they are there.(A kydex sheath is also available).
I took the knife to the woods today and put it through the paces. I shaved some fire sticks and did some other fine cutting. There's a nice choil and a thumb ramp that make these tasks easy. I chopped some branches about 2-2.5" in diameter and was surprised at how great it chopped. It chops like a much bigger knife. I dug a bullet out of a tree trunk and did some more chopping. By now I was enjoying the knife so much I was looking for more tasks. The Last Chance out chopped a lot of bigger knives I have used. I was really impressed with it. I didn't do a lot of real hard cutting with it, but I'm sure it would tackle those chores easily.
I love the new Fehrman. It's a great all around knife that will serve me well camping, hiking, and backpacking. In a pinch I'm sure it will chop and baton well enough to make a shelter or stand up to any other hard task I find.
store.fehrmanknives.com/index.aspx
Pros:
Useful all around knife
Wide, thick blade can stand up to tough tasks or excel at small ones
Great fit and finish
Guaranteed for life not to fail by Fehrman
Comfortable handles
Cons:
Some will balk at the $340 price tag
Anyway, my knife arrived sharp out of the box. Their site says they don't sharpen them to a razor edge since they're designed for chopping and hard use, but mine was hair-shaving sharp. The first thing I noticed was how beefy and solid the knife felt. I loved the feel of it right away. The fit and finish of it is excellent in all respects. There are no hot spots or awkward edges, everything is smooth and ergonomic. Overall, the Last Chance is a beautiful piece of work.
The Last Chance is not a big knife, but it feels like it. It's 11" overall and the blade is 5.5". What makes it so hefty is that the blade is 1.68" wide, and 1/4" thick. The blade is a chunky, solid beast. I ordered mine with the black powder coat finish which was also flawless. (A satin finish is another option). The handles are cushioned linen micarta, textured. As I said the fit and finish are great, and the handles are comfortable in saber and reverse grips.
The sheath is a story in itself. I ordered the black leather version, which is well made and good quality. The odd thing is how huge it is. First off, the knife blade, as I mentioned is really wide. Then, the sheath is more than twice as wide as the blade. In addition, there are plastic rings on either side that protrude another inch on either side.
So the sheath is 3.75 inches wide and, with the rings, the whole thing is about 6" wide. It seems absurdly large for a fairly small knife. Also I wonder how long the plastic rings will hold up. The good thing is that the sheath and knife feel great on the hip. You almost forget they are there.(A kydex sheath is also available).
I took the knife to the woods today and put it through the paces. I shaved some fire sticks and did some other fine cutting. There's a nice choil and a thumb ramp that make these tasks easy. I chopped some branches about 2-2.5" in diameter and was surprised at how great it chopped. It chops like a much bigger knife. I dug a bullet out of a tree trunk and did some more chopping. By now I was enjoying the knife so much I was looking for more tasks. The Last Chance out chopped a lot of bigger knives I have used. I was really impressed with it. I didn't do a lot of real hard cutting with it, but I'm sure it would tackle those chores easily.
I love the new Fehrman. It's a great all around knife that will serve me well camping, hiking, and backpacking. In a pinch I'm sure it will chop and baton well enough to make a shelter or stand up to any other hard task I find.
store.fehrmanknives.com/index.aspx
Pros:
Useful all around knife
Wide, thick blade can stand up to tough tasks or excel at small ones
Great fit and finish
Guaranteed for life not to fail by Fehrman
Comfortable handles
Cons:
Some will balk at the $340 price tag