Fulcrum II D - first impressions & some comparison

Joined
Sep 20, 2003
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373
Recieved my first ER today, a Fulcrum II D. Thought I'd give my initial thoughts before I get some use out of it. I also happen to have a Strider GB on hand so I'll make some comparison comments.

I am going to do my best to be honest yet respectful. I don't want it to come across like I'm posting in the ER forum and bashing them (I'm not, I love the knife) but I think its pointless to do a one sided comparison when both have their strong points which I've outlined below. Also I'm not even close to being the final authority on anything so I'll gladly accept corrections.

First of all, I like the packaging that these Fulcrum II's come in. Great presentation. Great protection. Excellent.

The thing that I like best about the Fulcrum II is the way that it clips and works with the pocket. Honestly I think this is my favorite out of all the different pocket clips that I've had. Slides out of pocket smooth and easy and goes back without a hassle. This is probably my biggest complaint about my GB, those rough G10 sides make it hard to move the knife smoothly to and from the pocket. This is great if you're in a war. Its not as great if you're doing chores around the house. (This is not a problem with the SnG.) Also the profile of the closed Fulcrum II in pocket and the thumbstuds work together to make it better at not getting the thumbstuds caught on the way out of pocket, especially when seated or crouched in "tactical" type stances. :rolleyes: Thankfully I'm alone in the house so nobody sees me testing for this.

Clipped to your pocket, the fulcrum looks more inconspicuous and will likely be passed off as a cell phone accessory or something by most people. The Strider does not look so innocuous.

I like the impact device. When the knife is in closed position, it fits in a "striking grip" VERY well.

The safety seems unnecessary to me when you've got this overbuilt 1/4" steel lock on a folder, but I think its fun and I'm glad its there.

By the way, 1/4" steel on a folder, couldn't believe it when I first saw that! I love it!

The fulcrum II coming standard with ambi thumbstuds and right/left switchable pocket clip is great. Personally I'd like to have a tip down option as well.

The fit and finish on this knife is superb. That thick blade is PACKED in between the handle slabs when closed but those tight tolerances must be right on because it doesn't rub at all. The GB does not have as good of a ratio of blade width to total handle width. Fulcrum II has nice and smooth action though not as smooth as the liner lock on the GB. I don't know what it is exactly but the action on that knife is SOOO smooth.

The blade on the Fulcrum II is very thick and confidence inspiring. The tip looks unbreakable. I can't imagine breaking the tip of a GB either but its slimmer.

The Fulcrum II locks into place with an unbelievable "THWACK," which is :eek: great! You won't believe it when you hear it if you haven't.

The guard to keep the fingers from sliding onto the blade of the Fulcrum II is substantial and at a strong angle. This is a big plus to me. I feel like a lot of makers tend to ignore this. The Striders seem fine in this area too, I don't know which would be easier to hold onto. I think they're both fine.

While the Fulcrum II is plenty grippy during use, I have to give the edge to the G10 on the Strider in that area. The same thing that makes it undesireable for pockets makes it desireable for hands.

The blade on the Strider is much "taller." By this I mean the distance between the edge and the spine is greater. I don't know what the term is for that. I think the taller blade looks much better and makes for a more useful blade with a longer grind and finer edge. I'd like to see "taller" ER folder blades in the future. Is there any advantage to them being "short"?

Pivot is bigger on the GB, same size as SnG gen 4 pivot. Fulcrum’s pivot is the same size as the smaller SnG gen 1-3 pivots. I don't see this as a problem but hey, I'm comparing them.

If the lock were to fail while you were applying a lot of force, your finger would be crushed by the GB, and cut by the Fulcrum II D. But this is pointless to talk about in my opinion because neither of these locks is going to fail.

Warranty: Mic bends over backwards for anybody that has a Strider regardless of how many people have owned it. Extrema Ratio’s warranty, to my knowledge, only covers the original purchaser:
Warranty thread

Price: Extrema Ratios are in my opinion pretty inexpensive considering what you are getting, and an unbelievable steal on the secondary market.

I really like this Fulcrum II. Extrema Ratio makes big tougher than rocks folders which are not copies of Striders. They have their own distinct style, design and materials, and I like them a lot. Am I getting rid of my Striders? No way. Now I'm collecting both.

Ryan
 
DrClkWrk,

You, Kai, and Brownie0486 write reviews and take pictures too well. Thanks for writing that review of the Fulcrum II D.
 
Originally posted by DrClckWrk
The blade on the Strider is much "taller." By this I mean the distance between the edge and the spine is greater. I don't know what the term is for that. I think the taller blade looks much better and makes for a more useful blade with a longer grind and finer edge. I'd like to see "taller" ER folder blades in the future. Is there any advantage to them being "short"?
Ryan, I should make all you guys chip in on the Fulcrum folder I'm going to have to buy now. :D Temptation, temptation ...

I think you're referring to what I call the width of a blade. I don't see the Fulcrum as particularly narrow. But I just got a Nemesis, specifically because it is narrower than the otherwise very similar MPC.

I know that in a kitchen knife, a wider blade will rest against whatever is being sliced and keep the cut straighter. Since I often use a narrow blade for this anyway, I don't have a problem controlling the direction of a cut, especially on small items like fruit or vegetables. For a roast, a wider blade might be better.

As you mentioned, a wider blade with a flat grind will be sharper. My Camillus Maxx is typical of this kind of grind, and the D2 makes it very strong as well. But the ER folders are more of a sabre grind, designed for strength. It's a trade-off, I guess.

Maybe a Fulcrum III, intermediate in size between the small and large ERs, with a wide flat grind? :)

Thanks for the review. I am really looking forward to a Fulcrum II D myself, and I'm glad to hear it's impressing those of you who already have one!
 
Frank: Thanks, you did a great job on that back lock info thread by the way. Very useful pictures.

thombrogan: Thanks for the kind words. Kai tooks some great pictures for sure.

Esav Benyamin:
I don't see the knife as particularly narrow either, or problematically so. It is of reasonable width and seems to take a great edge. I just like the look better, mostly, of a very wide blade. The Swamp Rat Howling Rat, for example, LOOKS a lot better to me than the Bandicoot. Neither of them is too narrow by any means, just an aesthetic preference of mine. The Howling Rat is more of a skinner, I'm not sure why it is advantageous for skinners to be wider, but I like that look. If ER likes to go narrower, thats their preference and I still like them, but it was one of the most striking differences between the two knives that I was comparing.
Thanks for the comments, will be glad to hear more from you when you get your Fulcrum II D. You're gonna love it.

Ryan
 
DrClckWrk,

I think that Esav and I are waiting for all of you who've sung siren songs for the Fulcrum II D to send a little cabbage our way to help defray the costs.

My Nemesis is doing well for now, but it'd always be nice to have a cuddly, Massachusetts-legal Fulcrum II D for those times when trips into the Bay State are warranted.
 
Originally posted by DrClckWrk
The Swamp Rat Howling Rat, for example, LOOKS a lot better to me than the Bandicoot. Neither of them is too narrow by any means, just an aesthetic preference of mine.
Ryan

I also like the looks of the Howling Rat much better than those of the Bandicoot. I keep hearing about those "Inficoots" and only wish they were Howling Rats instead. However, I find the narrow blade of the Nemesis the most appealing in the Extrema Ratio line. Go figure. :confused:

Dan
 
For those of you who are still saving for your first Fulcrum II; YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPOINTED!! Save Brothers save!! Don't look forward to any cabbage from those of us who already have one (mine is a Fulcrum II T) because we are most likely saving for our own seconds. :rolleyes: Save Brothers save! Cause I'm saving for my next one. Maybe make that two! :D

All the very best in Fulcrum acquisition!!

Stuart
 
Stu,

Actually, I ended up sending my cabbage to Ryan for his Fulcrum II D because he wants an MPC even more. With my luck, I'll find that I need a Fulcrum II T and MPC. I have good luck, you know. Poor Ryan, though, will have to make due with his Striders in the meantime.
 
Poor Ryan, though, will have to make due with his Striders in the meantime.

I'm trying, it will be a difficult time until I can get the MPC. I'm hooked on the pocket clip and the feel of these ER's. Thankfully I've been lucky enough lately to aquire a couple of fixed blades that are making the wait INFInitely easier. :D
 
You won't be sorry my Brothers you won't be sorry. These MPCs are fantastic. If you have any questions just ask Frank, in that after meeting him at Blade West, I have found that his recommendations are quite helpful and that Frank says exactly what he means and he has my full confidence about any recommendations regarding these blades.

Stuart
 
I have a 11D thats not cut anything I'll part with if anyone is interested.

Took the passive lock off and put it back on a week later, knife has not been disassembled but the passive lock has a mark on the screw from the pliers, not too noticable but there.

Boxed and ready to ship.

email me a bladesrus@comcast.net if any of you are interested.

Brownie
 
Reading Brownie's post above, that seems like a good way to get a look at various knives without spending a fortune.
Out of curiosity, personal question, does Brownie or anyone else do this on a regular basis, meaning, buy a knife to look at it and then resell it on these forums?
 
Hi Ken,
I threw it out there for the first time like this. Bought it for personal use but the MPC fills my needs nicely and thought after seeing everyone having a problem with the price point, they might want one at a reduced price as used/new.

Never considered your option but it is something to consider as a way to get a look at it if you don't mind taking somewhat of a loss in the sale to another.

Brownie
 
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