The Bears' Den--Shirogorov Showcase

[Ozmose]

I will say that the action and lockup on my Stellar feels more like a frame-lock when compared 2 F3’s I own, the detent is more stout and the lockbar tension has more presence. I really like the Stellar for what it is, the size is a great “medium” and it’s not dainty feeling in anyway with a some cool milling not found on other pieces, I say it’s a great knife for a Shiro enthusiast!

I just had to exchange a Stellar for bad lock up. I was shocked. It was only engaging at maybe 2%. I only had to move my finger a hair and it would unlock in my hand. R1 was cool about it and sent me a replacement. The new one is a night and day difference. Only returned two knives in my life. Never would have thought one of them would be a Shiro. I guess you can expect the occasional lemon to slip through the cracks anywhere from time to time. It was certainly not enough to change my view if them.

 

[DocJekl]

I just had to exchange a Stellar for bad lock up. I was shocked. It was only engaging at maybe 2%. I only had to move my finger a hair and it would unlock in my hand. R1 was cool about it and sent me a replacement. The new one is a night and day difference. Only returned two knives in my life. Never would have thought one of them would be a Shiro. I guess you can expect the occasional lemon to slip through the cracks anywhere from time to time. It was certainly not enough to change my view if them.

Wow, that sucks. I've had to replace a Giantmouse Jutland that didn't lock up, and a Buck 112 Limited Edition in Magnacut that had too much steel groundoff when sharpened at the factory. But so far nothing more expensive that had problems.

 

[Jsega51]

Thanks Jake! I have stayed away from frame locks because my fingers always seem to press on the bar when flipping them. Is it fair to say the Stellar takes a bit more effort to flip because of stout detent?

I wouldn’t say it takes more effort than my F3’s, the Stellar just has a more snap and crispness to it. The lock releases nice and easy so there’s no trouble there and I like how they designed it with a tab to operate vs just the thin liner stock.

 

[Jsega51]

I just had to exchange a Stellar for bad lock up. I was shocked. It was only engaging at maybe 2%. I only had to move my finger a hair and it would unlock in my hand. R1 was cool about it and sent me a replacement. The new one is a night and day difference. Only returned two knives in my life. Never would have thought one of them would be a Shiro. I guess you can expect the occasional lemon to slip through the cracks anywhere from time to time. It was certainly not enough to change my view if them.

That’s weird it was like that from the factory! Did you see the posts/pics showing the how these “liner locks” are designed and the space where the lock recesses into the frame scale? There’s actually a spot to put the blade stop pin so that the orientation of the locking bar is correct if it’s removed. I wonder if it was something as simple as the lock being moved slightly out of spec?

I had taken my F95 zero apart to clean once and after putting it back together the lock was super early like you described, it almost wouldn’t lock at all! I disassembled it again and spun the stop pin 90* so the previous marks from use lined up again with the tang and the issue went away (a good takeaway from owning CRK’s and finding its best to line up the marks).

 

[Adamas]

Love my Shirogorovs. I see they are not selling out immediately on recon one. Is this the model or the economy? Or proce or just the market right now. I daily use my f95 and love ot. Thank you

I am wondering this myself. The Stellar has been sitting on R1. Tempting though…

I love my F3NS. My one and only Shiro.

 

[MacLaren1]

I am wondering this myself. The Stellar has been sitting on R1. Tempting though…

I love my F3NS. My one and only Shiro.

I hear ya man. I love mine too.
Thats the reason I got a new F3 Micarta from R1. Figured I would just leave the F3 NS unused and carry the F3 Micarta. And man, am I glad it did.
They're just freakin perfection imo.

 

[Ozmose]

That’s weird it was like that from the factory! Did you see the posts/pics showing the how these “liner locks” are designed and the space where the lock recesses into the frame scale? There’s actually a spot to put the blade stop pin so that the orientation of the locking bar is correct if it’s removed. I wonder if it was something as simple as the lock being moved slightly out of spec?

I had taken my F95 zero apart to clean once and after putting it back together the lock was super early like you described, it almost wouldn’t lock at all! I disassembled it again and spun the stop pin 90* so the previous marks from use lined up again with the tang and the issue went away (a good takeaway from owning CRK’s and finding its best to line up the marks).

Yeah, it was like that straight out of the box. Didn't even have time to screw it up myself. I was on the phone 30 minutes after I got it. The replacement I got actually had a minor issue too, but nothing worth complaining about. The rear screw wasn't tightened down property. It fell out into my hand after flipping it a dozen or so times. I wonder if someone wasn't just having a really bad day at the factory when that batch went out.

 

[Sagandavis]

Gents,

For those that have handled the Stellar, how do they compare to the F3' and F3NS's?

I sold all my F3s if that says anything haha. I never liked the light detent and action of the F3 but I know some love it.

I’m even tempted to sell my f95s and Hati because the stellar keeps winning for me and I’m trying to slim my collection to only what I “need”

 

[MacLaren1]

I hear ya on the light detent of the F3 NS but, the new F3 w/Micarta is dialed just right imo.
OTOH, the Quant(i)um I had, had a pretty stout detent - that and the flipper tab was a bit short too.
The new F3's are just right

 

[DocJekl]

I sold all my F3s if that says anything haha. I never liked the light detent and action of the F3 but I know some love it.

I’m even tempted to sell my f95s and Hati because the stellar keeps winning for me and I’m trying to slim my collection to only what I “need”

I hear ya on the light detent of the F3 NS but, the new F3 w/Micarta is dialed just right imo.
OTOH, the Quant(i)um I had, had a pretty stout detent - that and the flipper tab was a bit short too.
The new F3's are just right

I don't agree that it's light, or at least it's certainly not too light, as I cannot make the flipper fail with a push button action. The flipper deforms my finger pretty well before the detent let's go on all of my F3. My Neon Zero on the other hand has a monster detent. I can slip off the flipper a few times before I successfully deploy the blade.

It took 3 try in this video from a while back...

https://imgur.com/E2gdLfp

 

[MacLaren1]

I shouldve said just a little light on the F3 NS.

 

[DocJekl]

I shouldve said just a little light on the F3 NS.

F3 Aquatic with good push button detent - not painful, not too weak.

https://imgur.com/hWohie9

 

[GTFord1]

Speaking of the non-used knives convo a few pages back - I’ve had this thing for what, two weeks now, and I’m already getting some patina on it. This bear isn’t gonnna be lazy! I’ve been cutting stuff, I stuck it into the ground in loose dirt the other day prying up some grass, etc.

 

[Ilikesharpstuff]

Recon1 has a used F3 Aerum...for $1700

I get that the secondary market is going to dictate value and it will likely go up on sought after, limited production knives but it just seems like a punch in the gut that they sold them new for less a few months ago. Makes you wonder how many of the used knives they sell were snagged by employees, used for Instagram clout for a few months, then sold at a markup later on.

They were less than $1700 new, right?

 

[Ozmose]

Recon1 has a used F3 Aerum...for $1700

I get that the secondary market is going to dictate value and it will likely go up on sought after, limited production knives but it just seems like a punch in the gut that they sold them new for less a few months ago. Makes you wonder how many of the used knives they sell were snagged by employees, used for Instagram clout for a few months, then sold at a markup later on.

They were less than $1700 new, right?

Yeah, they were $1,100 new. You should see what happens at Arizona Custom Knives. That place is disgusting. The Terrus was selling for $2,500 on there not long ago.

 

[Ilikesharpstuff]

Yeah, they were $1,100 new. You should see what happens at Arizona Custom Knives. That place is disgusting. The Terrus was selling for $2,500 on there not long ago.

They're slightly different IMO and while I don't agree with it, to me it's not as bad as Recon and others. AZCK is a consignment shop and they take 25% for their services. That still means the seller got $1875, and the seller also dictates the asking price for the listing. AZCK just advertises the knife and acts as the middle man. I assume the 25% consignment fee is why most knives are significantly more expensive there than other secondary marketplaces. Additionally, I think they cater mostly to a somewhat specific audience. That being, people with deep pockets who are not knife hobbyists/aficionados, or people with deep pockets who are serious collectors and consider the markup to be a finder's fee to get what they want right now.

 

[DocJekl]

Recon1 has a used F3 Aerum...for $1700

I get that the secondary market is going to dictate value and it will likely go up on sought after, limited production knives but it just seems like a punch in the gut that they sold them new for less a few months ago. Makes you wonder how many of the used knives they sell were snagged by employees, used for Instagram clout for a few months, then sold at a markup later on.

They were less than $1700 new, right?

Last week there was an Ignis for $1500 there, vs $1700 for Aerum. At the same time, on the bay the price on an Ignis and Aerum were flipped vs Recon1. Then more recently there was another Ignis and another Aerum for auction at $1799 each. So...

 

[Sagandavis]

Recon1 has a used F3 Aerum...for $1700

I get that the secondary market is going to dictate value and it will likely go up on sought after, limited production knives but it just seems like a punch in the gut that they sold them new for less a few months ago. Makes you wonder how many of the used knives they sell were snagged by employees, used for Instagram clout for a few months, then sold at a markup later on.

They were less than $1700 new, right?

I guarantee that is part of their business model. They keep a few back and sell them “pre owned” for an additional markup. Pretty slimy

 

[DocJekl]

I guarantee that is part of their business model. They keep a few back and sell them “pre owned” for an additional markup. Pretty slimy

What about when a lot of these have notes in the sale about things like evidence of "mild use" on the blade, or "scuff" on the clip? Do you really think they mess them up slightly to looked used, or keep seconds with marks already on them to claim as used, for hard to come by items that can sell as a premium? I don't want to believe that. I do see used knives sold as mint as well, but I have over half of my collection as mint too.

 

[Sagandavis]

What about when a lot of these have notes in the sale about things like evidence of "mild use" on the blade, or "scuff" on the clip? Do you really think they mess them up slightly to looked used, or keep seconds with marks already on them to claim as used, for hard to come by items that can sell as a premium? I don't want to believe that. I do see used knives sold as mint as well, but I have over half of my collection as mint too.

I think it was said but they might use one for pics and advertising, maybe even pocket one to see if they like it. The fact that as a company they make you use PPFF or else they charge an additional fee is not just a bad look, but might be illegal.