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Post by randomnobody on Mar 13, 2015 19:30:55 GMT
So I've been doing a lot of knife-hunting of late, after spending a week or so trying to put the edge back on my trusty old J.J. Martinez Arabe. It apparently decided it just didn't feel like being sharp anymore, none of my stones would change its mind at any angle with any technique. I finally committed the highest of sins and assaulted it with an Accusharp. Well, long story short, it learned its lesson and I've got a pretty decent edge going on it once again. However, in the interim, I started looking again at acquiring a new folder. I wanted a Manly, a Bulgarian company making Laguiole-styled knives (namely this one: www.filofiel.com/tiendaonline/manly-bufalo-12c27-p-8122.html ) but since I could only find them at Filofiel and the manufacturer's own website ( www.manly-bg.com/index.php?lang=en ) I was deterred. 79 Euro at Filofiel was too rich for my blood, as they say, but the 59 Euro at Manly was much more accessible...only I couldn't get an answer on whether they ship to the US; only options at checkout were within Bulgaria and the rest of Europe. So I started looking at other knives, Case's Trapperlocks looked great but I kept reading that the blades didn't like to stay closed and that put me off, but nothing else really grabbed me, so once I sorted out the J.J. I gave up. However, today I got to thinking, "if this thing tries that again, I'm not going to bother...and I have no backup." So, back to the hunt again. Most of you probably know by now, I don't have the most common "tastes" in my knives. I like old-school, even "old world" style knives pretty much exclusively. None of the tactical nonsense flooding today's market does anything for me, particularly with all the glorified plastic handles, so I usually look in very niche places for interesting knives. My first stop today was World Knives ( www.worldknives.com ) to see if there was anything new or exciting in their selection of Folding knives. Skipped past all the Lagioules, as slip joints are a no-no to me; I need a solid lock. I prefer lock back on my knives, but a sturdy frame or liner will do. Glanced through the Opinels (that viro-lock is something I need to check out one day) but nothing grabbed me, as usual. Then, down at the bottom of the page, the very last listing, was a mess of mechanical engineering by Wild Steer, out of France, listing as "Wildsteer WX Tactical Double Lock Folding Knife - WSWX13" (see here: www.worldknives.com/products/wildsteer-wx-tactical-double-lock-folding-knife-wswx13-3044.html ) I was moderately amused by the locking system, so I Googled the knife to find more info. Here's the company's website: www.wildsteer.com/gb/index.phpTurns out they have several models; their WX line comes in either the WX13 with paracord grip and lanyard or the WX00 with pocket clip and a compartment for a screwdriver bit; lanyard optional. 4.5" plain edge, 10.5" overall open: www.wildsteer.com/gb/prods.php?fam=32They also have the WS line, with a simpler lock system on a smaller, 3.5" blade, either plain or combo: www.wildsteer.com/gb/prods.php?fam=37I'm equally interested in the nifty extra features of their smaller still (3.25") W model: www.wildsteer.com/gb/prods.php?fam=46Now, you're probably wondering, "I thought you just said you don't like all that fancy new tactical crap and wanted something old-school?" You're right. By no means should I like these knives, but I'm fascinated by the sheer gadget value. The blade shapes and overall aesthetics are not my thing, at all. If I could go for a slipjoint, though, the Wild 79 series would be lovely: www.wildsteer.com/gb/prods.php?fam=22However, it is that gadget value that makes me want one. Oh, and this video: This man's sheer glee comes through quite plainly and really sells the knife, especially that crazy locking system. I'm all about sturdy locks, and redundancy especially is great. Hence I've been carrying a knife with not just a very sturdy lock-back variant system, but four separate teeth to catch said lock. Break one and the next one behind it catches the blade before the blade catches your fingers. Neat, right? This thing, though...doesn't just have the spring on the back holding the notch in the blade, no, it's got a lever that locks that spring down. But that's not enough, heavens no. There's a second lever that locks the first lever in place. Both of these levers are kept in their respective places by your fingers as you use the knife. The handle also looks quite nicely shaped, despite its very spartan construction. If this thing were a clip or drop point, I'd have already ordered one. Ah, but here's the thing: These suckers are pricey. I checked Knife Center, Knife Country USA, and even Amazon to hopefully find a better buy than the $225 at World Knives, but that's just the going rate for the WX line. One could acquire a WX13 for $205-ish through Amazon, but the WX00 still asks around $215, and that's the one I'd go for. This makes the smaller WS rather tempting, at a more approachable $180, but at the same time, it loses a lever in the lock. Killjoy. Seems the W can be had for $160, but it's a bit small for me, and even though it's got some neat features...eh, still loses out on the lock. Oh, I forgot to mention the W'eStaing, which I can only find on the manufacturer's website: www.wildsteer.com/gb/prods.php?fam=47Just...holy expletive. Anyway, not likely to be dropping $225 anytime soon, but if I ever feel like I have too much, I know where it's going. Thoughts? Anybody have one?
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Post by randomnobody on Mar 14, 2015 19:43:45 GMT
Well, you lot were no help in dissuading me. I gave in and picked one up from a seller on eBay that had it a few dollars cheaper than everybody else. They're practically on the other side of the state from me, in Marion, VA, but shipping should be fairly swift once PayPal transfers my money. Hoping to have it by mid-week.
Buyers remorse be damned, I'm bored and need a new toy.
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Post by ineffableone on Mar 14, 2015 20:29:38 GMT
You can't much more oldschool than an Opinel. It is basically a penny knife with an added lock collar. (if you didn't know, a penny knife is an 18th century folding knife en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penny_knife ) I recently picked up an Opinel Garden Knife #8 These have a spear point blade and a tapered handle, differing them from the typical Opinels. It has become my go to EDC pocket knife now, and I really like it. Just the right amount of blade in the right shape for pretty much any task I would need a pocket knife for. Oh and it has a lock for when it is closed too, so it can't open in your pocket by accident.
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Post by randomnobody on Mar 14, 2015 21:18:08 GMT
I definitely want an Opinel, but keep mixing up models when I remember to look them up. One day I'll pick one up, just because they're cheap, but it'll probably be with another knife when I do.
Speaking of, I just remembered I'd intended to buy from Knife Center for this very reason; adding an Opinel. Oh well, next time.
My current go-to is still going strong, despite its recent protests, and I doubt I'll be replacing it any time soon. That said, this Wildsteer will be riding in my other pocket for a couple weeks just to see how it works out. Then I'll get an Opinel, just because.
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bpogue
Manufacturer/Vendor
Posts: 354
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Post by bpogue on Mar 16, 2015 2:09:00 GMT
Buyers remorse be damned, I'm bored and need a new toy. Hope to see a review when you get it. We handled all of the Wild Steer line last year in Germany. I quite like the drop forged fixed blades and the folders certainly have their appeal! The owner was really good to speak with as well. Blake
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Post by randomnobody on Mar 16, 2015 3:51:20 GMT
Hi Blake. I don't know about a full-on review, those aren't my style. I'll post a few photos and my thoughts when I get it, and I'll try to use it a bit (nothing like you'd see in their videos or other reviews, I'm no outdoorsman and can't be bothered to pretend, but I'll use it for the things I use a knife for) and see how it goes for at least two weeks. It's pretty big for a folder, but it's not really big enough to oust my favorite fixed blade, so it'll play the in-betweener with opportunities to function in both roles. Granted, the entire reason I carry a fixed blade as well as folders is for the ease of deployment a fixed-blade offers. This lock, awesome as it is, looks like it'll take a bit if getting used to, and will certainly never be as quick as a fixed blade. That said, my favorite EDC folders are all two-hand openers with unusual locks, so it'll fit in nicely there. Only problem will be it's size, but time will tell how that impacts my needs.
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Post by randomnobody on Mar 18, 2015 20:40:25 GMT
I has a thing: It's a bit bigger than the ol' J.J. Martinez: Weighs exactly 10oz, 283g. 6" long closed, 10.5" open, blade just shy of 4". Blade width is 1.1"/2.8cm at base, 0.72"/1.8cm at the "tanto" tip, which is 0.9"/2.3cm long. It's thick, but not as thick as everybody was making it out to be. Most claims declared 1/4", I measure 0.18", closer to the 4.5mm I think I might have seen one place, probably the manufacturer's page. No taper in the spine, but it has a bit of a swedge, about 1.5"/3.8cm long. Lock spring is 0.4"/1cm wide and about 0.13"/0.3cm thick, and stiff. Really tough to open this thing, especially with having to disengage the lever throughout. On that note, lockup is secure, even without the secondary lever in place. Said secondary lever is very difficult to move into position, primary lever seems reluctant to fully engage. It came out of the box rather gritty, so I have been assaulting it with WD40 and trying to work out (in?) the kinks. What I've gotten so far is a pretty slippery knife that does seem to work more readily than it did straight out of the box. Speaking of out of the box, it's very sharp. Hard to tell by feeling the edge, because it's still very thick, but it lifts hair with ease and the edge feels smooth enough to the touch. I normally touch up edges when I get new knives, but this one I'll leave as-is, for now. In the hand, it's hefty...and that's about it. Balance is about where the tail of the secondary lever sits, or at the bottom of the finger notch. Bit further back than I want it, but I like to think I'm fairly adaptable. Ergonomics are as good as one can expect from flat metal parts. Corners aren't particularly harsh and my hand rests comfortably in a "handshake" style grip. Came with a clip-on lanyard, which will see no use, but is of reasonable quality. If I ever use it, it'll be looped through my belt in case I drop the knife so I don't have to bend down and pick it up. My phone shares the same sentiment I was about to express, seeing as it wanted the word "pick" to be "ouch," that the downside to this would be that the knife would be prone to bouncing, swinging, or generally being a nuisance if I were to use the lanyard as such. Nonetheless, I have no other use for it at this time. Anyway, first impressions weren't amazing. It's a big hunk of steel in the shape of a knife, but it's solid in construction despite some wear-in seemingly being needed. The parts are fitting a little too tight. Maybe they'll break in, maybe they won't. Time will tell. All in all, I'm not feeling like this is a full $200+ knife. I could see $150, maybe, but the average market price of $220-225 leaves me feeling underwhelmed. It's tough, rugged, and overall a good knife...but mine will take some working to get properly up to "ready" status. Honestly, I'm not so fond of the style that I'm even feeling like taking the effort, but I'll have a go for the sake of it (and because I spent $210) and see how things turn out. Edit: forgot to mention, the pocket clip rests the knife much higher than I'd like, but not out of line with other models on the market. It's attached with two small Allen bolts, so maybe if WildSteer ever puts out a deep-carry variation I'll pick it up and swap 'em out, but I don't see that happening.
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Post by chrisperoni on Mar 18, 2015 23:54:29 GMT
Hmmm, I was really liking this knife and even thinking of using the $ from my next sword to get one, but with your feelings on it I'm not so sure now.
Seeing your pics reminds me of what I like so much about it visually as I love overbuilt and clean lines/angles on a knife. However, all the negatives seem like they add up enough to question the worth of the knife at 2 bills. Maybe I'll see about adding this to next seasons Xmas list; it's easier to swallow faults when it's someone else's money buying it lol!
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Post by randomnobody on Mar 19, 2015 0:04:01 GMT
I've been wondering if the problems I'm having aren't fixable. My biggest gripe right now is that the blade doesn't seem to lock fully, that is, the spring seems to be some minuscule fraction of an inch too far back to fully engage. It's on with a torx bolt, so if I can find the right bit, I should be able to adjust it. I was planning to have a look in the tools here shortly and see what turned up.
I came to this idea because when opening the knife, it's very stiff; much more than it seems like it should be as demonstrated in multiple videos online. When it does open, there is a gap between the back spring and the frame that is not present when the knife is closed. Similarly, while it takes significant effort to force the levers together with the blade open, they mate perfectly and with ease while the knife is closed. I have to wonder if initial release isn't hindered by premature engagement of the slipjoint with the lock spring, as well.
If I can find a bit that fits, I'll take some pictures to show what I'm talking about, then see if I can adjust the spring a little bit and hopefully resolve the matter. If it works, I'll get some "after" shots, too.
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Post by randomnobody on Mar 19, 2015 0:24:25 GMT
Welp, no luck on the bit. Could have sworn we had at least one set... I'll go buy some tomorrow, I guess. In the meantime, some photos to illustrate: As you can see here, the secondary lever (on the left) is not engaged, but the primary lever (right) is at rest in fully-engaged position, and the back spring is flush with the frame. Secondary lever engaged, smooth, easy fit. No issues, everything flush and even. This is the spring and primary lever's engagement with the blade open. Obviously, something's a bit off. I can force the two levers into place, as seen, but with great effort (and discomfort) and even then the spring is still not flush. There is very little room, a hair or two's breadth, between the front end of the spring's cutout and the blade's catch, for lack of a better word. I'm thinking if I can snug up this gap, my problems may be solved...maybe? (and for the photographers out there, how 'bout that auto white balance? Man, it looks even worse on a PC monitor than it did on my phone... )
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Post by chrisperoni on Mar 19, 2015 1:41:26 GMT
Sure does look like it's not quite seating right in the open position
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Post by randomnobody on Mar 19, 2015 21:13:33 GMT
Well, there's good news, and there's bad news. The good news is, I was able to acquire a ratcheting screwdriver set with a bunch of different bits, 12 of them torx (apparently also called star) bits, and I managed to remove the lock spring. T10 torx/star screw: Spring removed: Unfortunately, see that steel block there, lined up with the matching slot in the spring? Yeah, that fits exactly; there is no room for adjusting anything. In theory, I could file...but I won't. Too much hassle and I don't want to risk it. Now, a few other bits of good news. The slipjoint underneath the spring is quite strong. Takes a lot of effort to unhinge the blade with just this engaged, but once it's out, it's flapping free. This is why I don't like slipjoints. Otherwise, with the screw on the spring loosened just ever-so, while the fit still isn't perfect, there is just a little more leeway which allows the primary lever to be shifted more easily into place and the secondary lever can move in much more easily, as well. It's not perfect, but it's working a lot better now than it was when I got it. I guess from here on it's just wear-in. Still, for $200 I'm not won over by the knife's ease of use, but I can see how it would be a solid, rugged design and would definitely live up to its advertised capabilities should I choose to use it as such. That is, hunting, bushcrafting, general outdoorsy stuffs; it's a great utility blade with a very sound locking system and while the blade shape isn't my favorite, it's done in a way I can appreciate and most importantly, it works. Overall, it's a big, heavy folding knife with an unbreakable lock (that maybe is a bit too exactly constructed; could stand to see some lenience in some parts) and a really sharp blade. The tip, especially, is on par with some of my "pointiest" stuff. Would I carry this every day and use it for everything? Heck no, too cumbersome. Would I keep it in a camping/hiking/hunting kit, should I ever build one? Absolutely. Would I pay market price again for another? Nah. I say if anybody wants one, try to find it at a place running coupon codes or other discount offers. If somebody is selling one like-new for $150, I say go for it. I'm still a bit tempted by the smaller models, which lack the secondary locking lever, and are probably less hassle for it...but the cheapest I can get the WS (the "medium" sized model) for would be around $150, which, again, I would consider a good price for the "big" model. $100-125 for the WS, sure. Seems the W model (smallest) runs as much as or more than the WS, which I guess is understandable as it's only 1/4" shorter and has some extra features and options over the WS... Do I still want a W'eStaing? Oh, yes. Will I spent the $240+ asking price on one? ...Probably. Do I recommend this knife? Well, if you can find a good deal on it, and yours will most likely be better than mine. I'm convinced I got a dud (but not a bad one, just a minor issue), but am not so worried about it as to pursue an exchange; especially since I got it from a seller on eBay, and while they do offer a "Satisfaction Guarantee" I'm too lazy, and not sufficiently annoyed, to pursue it. Edit: I looked it over one life l more time, with the thought of filing. It occurred to me that, were I to file anything, it would be most practical to file the detent in the blade until it mated better with the spring, rather than the reverse. In examining this part more closely, I noticed it wasn't exactly perfect: I'm thinking if I file it just a little bit, it might just do the trick. Don't know why this hadn't occurred to me before, probably because I really wanted it to be a matter of just shifting the spring.
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Post by chrisperoni on Mar 19, 2015 21:38:50 GMT
Excellent info.
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Post by randomnobody on Mar 19, 2015 21:51:59 GMT
Been playing with an old diamond rod sharpener gizmo I picked up years and years ago, half of it a round spike for sharpening serrations etc., the other half a combo of round rod, groove, and flat plane. Turns out the thickness of the rod is exactly the width of the lock cutout in the blade, so I used it a little bit to try and file down the rear portion, or the "tooth" side, if you will.
Granted, it's a "fine" level sharpener, so not a lot of metal getting eaten by it in one go; however, a few dozen heavy strokes and, with little to no visible difference (not enough to warrant a new photo) the lock does set up more readily and the levers are more willing to move into place. Much, much more, in fact.
I am becoming more pleased with this knife's performance as it continues to improve in this manner, bit by little bit. You might ask, "But should you really have to do all this?" and I would concede, no...I shouldn't. But I don't mind doing it. Bear in mind I bought this thing for $15 less than the normal going rate, and I've been wondering if there wasn't a reason for the "discount" as such, but I'm not about to cry "second" or "defect" when the difference was "onlY" $15.
That said, I do like that I am spending so much time on this knife, as it gives me the opportunity to explore the mechanism that so fascinated me in the first place, and teaches me how to care for this knife should it ever get a bit gunked up. I now have the right tools to use on all of my other knives, which I'd been putting off (lazy) for years now, and this finally pushed me over the edge and I don't hold it disfavorably for it.
Anyway, going to do a little more grinding and see if I can't make things just a touch better, but for now, I am satisfied with my purchase. Which reminds me, I still need to leave feedback...
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Post by randomnobody on Mar 19, 2015 23:40:47 GMT
So now that the lockup issues are resolved, it occurred to me that I once mentioned a minor grievance with the pocket clip, but have never posted a picture of that our even that whole side of the knife, so here: Edit: Also forgot to mention, while I don't think I'll ever get any use out of it, if only for the weird angle, this is a neat thought:
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Post by randomnobody on Mar 20, 2015 3:24:26 GMT
Sorry to keep drudging up my own thread, but I wanted to reinforce my "heavy" remarks. In case anybody had trouble conceptualizing the sheer size and weight of this thing, I thought it would be amusing to compare it to my others. As a reminder, this knife is 10" overall with a 4" cutting edge and weighs 10 ounces. I'm too lazy for metric conversions right now, so do your own if you need them. So to start with, I compared it to my current favorite EDC fixed-blade, my Citadel Trapper. This thing is 10 1/4" overall with a 4.5" cutting edge and weighs 8.7 ounces. It is 2.3 ounces heavier than the Trapper, at about the same size. I suppose that's the all-steel construction. Speaking of, the SOG Paratool I carry is also quite the hefty piece of all-steel kit, but is only 4" long when closed and weighs 6.8 ounces, 3.2 ounces less than the WX00. Understandably, the much larger WX00 is, of course, heavier. This is what got me, though. I carry three folding knives, usually, in various pockets and for various purposes. The heaviest of these is a Joker Bandolero at 3.6 ounces. All three of these knives, together, weigh less than the WX00. Longest of the three is the J.J. Martinez Arabe, at about 8 1/2" overall when open, with a cutting edge just shy of 4". The other two come in at 8" long open, with the Joker having a slight lead in cutting edge length over the Martinez Albainox at 3 1/2" versus 3 1/4". All three knives together weigh 7.7 ounces. 2.3 ounces less than the WX00. So yeah, it's big, and it's heavy. You really feel this when it's in-hand, and the low balance point doesn't help at all. However, now that I've remedied the locking issues, it's even more so a sturdy, well-built piece of kit that probably will never break under reasonable use. The entire knife is put together with screws, so as long as you have the right bits, you can completely disassemble the whole thing, down to every part. Naturally, the manufacturer advises that you do not do this, and warns that it voids the two-year warranty. In fact, my having removed the back spring probably voids the warranty, but eh, whatever. Anyway, the upside to this is, if ever anything isn't working right, you can take it off and find out why. Loose parts? Tighten 'em. Gummed up? Strip it, clean it, oil it. Done. Beats rivets and pins any day. That said, it really eats up a pocket, and you definitely feel it on whichever leg it's clipped to. This makes it a non-EDC for me, but I'll still carry it for a few weeks just to see how it plays out. Having resolved the lockup issues, I did take a minute or two to strop the blade, and it's better than it was out of the box. I'm satisfied with it, anyway.
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Post by L Driggers (fallen) on Mar 21, 2015 8:44:12 GMT
That is one over engineered knife, don't see a use for it my self. If I'm going to carry something that heavy I'll just carry a fix blade knife.
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Post by randomnobody on Mar 21, 2015 10:09:33 GMT
Over-engineered is right. That's the biggest part of what drew me to it, though. It's definitely not something to lug about all day, every day. Funny thing is, the much larger W'eStaing model, with the 7.5" blade and wooden grip scales, seemingly weighs slightly less at 9.5 ounces. I'm guessing it's thinner, as it doesn't look much narrower.
I bought this particular knife for the sheer gadget factor, and gadget it is, but at the same time, while it's heavy and cumbersome, it takes up less space than a fixed-blade and could probably fill the same role if pressed. I'm the sort who would rather use a fixed blade, though.
That aside, I still think this knife is neat.
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Post by bloodwraith on Apr 1, 2015 11:15:24 GMT
A lot of good information, mate. While I can appreciate your fascination, this one won't be going on my list. I can't stand knives that are heavier than they need to be. It is definitely over-engineered.
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Post by randomnobody on Apr 1, 2015 12:35:27 GMT
Hi bloodwraith, yeah, this things hefty and not in a good way. Been carrying it in my left-front pocket for almost two weeks now and haven't had the first opportunity to use it for anything that didn't make me ask myself, "why didn't I just use one of my other knives?" Then I remembered, "oh right, because I spent $200 on this thing and want to get SOME use out of it..." So far it's best use is silencing the "biggest knife" debates I tend to get into. I'm sure if I were a camper I'd get more use out of it, but it'll be moving to the shelf in the next few days. A buddy of mine is really into the We'staing model, which is a big folding bowie sort of deal with a simplified lock for about the same price. Might get him one, might not: his birthday's coming up, and he's transferring to a promotion at another store, but eh...money. Anyway, the WX is definitely a nifty gizmo, and a very well-made one at that, but it's really just too big, heavy, and generally cumbersome to be an EDC folder. Hell Hell a showpiece, though.
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