Anybody with both a GSO 5 and a......

Hard Knocks

Hard Knocks

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Hello all. Anybody here with both a GSO 5 and a Ratmandu? I'm asking because I'm considering the GSO 5 on the upcoming run, but am unfamiliar with the balance. I did see here in another thread that the balance is where the index finger comes into contact with the handle. I'm real familiar with the Ratmandu, and this is about what I'd describe as its balance. So let me ask the question this way:

If the GSO 5 were held open-handed, laying across four fingers but with no thumb pressure, would it rotate forward out of your hand?

Thanks in advance,
David
 
I wrote that about the balance . I have had a Ratmandu before and I have a GSO 5 now . Here's a pic of the 5 balanced on my index finger . If I had to say , I'd say it is ever so slightly blade heavy , which is what you'd want . But as you can see in the photo the balance is so good that it WILL rest on one finger .

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Wow, nice pic. I guess you answered the balance question!

I know that a blade heavy design makes chopping and heavy work easier in a normal grip, but having that even balance makes the knife feel lighter to me. I'm hoping my future GSO 5 will work similarly to my ESEE 6. With that knife I can hold the bottom of the blade for light to medium chopping, but I can also use the choil for very comfortable close work. I'm ready to take the no-choil plunge.
 
Mike above answered it, especially from the handle perspective, but not sure why you would measure the balance that way? It would seem nice from that, but the physics are behind the blade not under it.
 
How else can I measure the balance ? Any knife will only balance where the weight on each side of that point is equal . On the GSO 5 the balance point is where it is , right at the point where your index finger rests when using it . You can turn the knife upside down , but it still balances at the same point along it's length .
 
Mike, thank you for that picture. Says a lot, and looks just about right for what I'm wanting. Like SilverNeedle said, I think I would like to try no choil for a bit.
 
Mike-The-Knife said:
How else can I measure the balance ? Any knife will only balance where the weight on each side of that point is equal . On the GSO 5 the balance point is where it is , right at the point where your index finger rests when using it . You can turn the knife upside down , but it still balances at the same point along it's length .
Click to expand...

I see now what you guys were referring to. I was speaking to balance, as it's largely subjective as whoever is using the knife. The larger knives like GSO 6, doesn't work the same as the GSO 5.

Normally when I hear balance referred to it's usually in the context of larger blades, choppers, smaller blades, of course balisongs, and throwing knives it means a different thing.
 
B34NS , I get what you are saying and yes that kind of balance CAN be very subjective . Certainly the GSO 5.1 , 6 or 7/7 would not balance at the index finger because the handle is the same size as the 5 and there is more blade . Weather a knife is blade heavy or handle heavy , it can still have a balance that "feels" good in the hand . The GSO 5 just has the right blade length to handle size that allowed Guy to have it balance right at that point . To me that makes the knife feel lighter than it actually is when using it and more comfortable to use also .
 
Here is my 6 with added liners and a little material removed from the index guard area. It gets me closer to the blade, gives me more room on the handle, and offers a neutral to slight blade forward balance.
Also, I rasped the outside corners of the Micarta to open up the fibers and give it a nice texture.

EDIT TO ADD: I love this knife





 
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Yea without modifying the GSO 6 does lean heavy towards the tip, my guess was this was intended to maximize for chopping, but could be coincidence. That's how I tend to describe balance, is when you add a control, how does it affect the rest of the knife. I usually try culinary tasks first as if a knife is unbalanced, you'll know it.

Nice FTR! Like where that's going!
 
Thanks guys, I took a chance and it paid off. The hardest part was getting it to snap back in the sheath after the handle mods. I few minutes with the wife's hair drier did the trick.
 
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