Applegate-Fairbairn Covert or Combat Folder?

T

tristram

Joined
Dec 5, 2004
Messages
537
Hi,
what are the views out there on the merits of the A-F Combat vs. the Covert folder?
I'm determined to get myself an Applegate not just for the legend but also for as much use as possible... and so it should be a folder, and going by the better steel, extra lock, easier handling and carrying, it looks like the Covert is the better choice, except it's not much of an Applegate dagger anymore, is it?
Any fans who favor the unwieldy Combat folder, and why? Or people who know both, and can warn against any of them?
Looking forward to hear your views,
Tristram
 
I have an older AF Combat folder and it has the most unsafe lock of any knife I have ever owned. I've been told by some folks here that the newer versions are better. I would be very careful with any of these production "combat" AF folders. I haven't used the Covert and so can't comment on those.
 
I had the same experience with the A-F Combat as tristram. The one I got had an unreliable lock. It was the dulllest new-from-the-factory knife I have ever received, too. I returned it and did not get another.

The Covert has a somewhat better reputation, but there are better options. My recommendation, if you want a big folding dagger that A-F would approve of, would be to spend the extra cash and pick up a Camillus Maxx Stiletto. It's a tougher design made from better materials.

--Bob Q
 
I've had a Covert for a long time. It has a secondary Lake/Walker type lock which prevents the liner lock from inadvertantly disengaging at the "wrong" time. Not a bad knife, but I'd also look into bquinlan's suggestion.
 
I have the Covert, its a good little folder I have no complaints. It locks up solid and looks cool. I got it "used" from another forum member, it was in mint condition and the price was to good to pass up on.

But if give the choice between it and the Camillus Max with the dagger blade, I'd take the Camillus, much more of a quality knife. It locks up really well. Its bigger than the Covert, and has a slimmer profile.
 
I own both the full-sized AF Combat folder and the Covert.

The Combat folder closed onto my hand when rapped only lightly against the top of a sofa (accidentally). That was after I'd been carying it around for several weeks. Thank goodness I didn't need to use it in an emergency... I tried to sell it, and noone would buy it.

The Covert is an excellent little knife, almost as if to prove a point ! The LAWKS safety gives confidence., but I have never had the lockbar fail in the first place. The black coating on mine is very durable and has stood up to much use. My only concerns (these may be totally unfounded and unrealistic) are that the blade is a little thin (so its slices beautifully) for a tactical, and the pivot is very smooth but slightly tighter than I'd like. The tight pivot and light blade mean that it doesn't snap open as easily. I'm just nit-picking on this.

Jason.
 
ya, this has been discussed back a few years ago. Lots of complaints about the lock on the big version. Little version has a safety on it.
 
Ditto on all the lock failure comments. I carried one years ago when they first came out....a shining example of a liner lock done WRONG!
 
I'd be interested in a custom done right. I heard a few years ago that someone had done some very good ones [folders] based on the dagger. Anyone know?
 
Butch Vallotton a few years ago made some custom versions, and they were "awesome" to say the least. I was at his shop when he was making them, and were a well built, large knife as only Vallotton does. The ones he was making at the time I was there were however autos, and would have given anything to have one but were all presold.
If you could run into one of these Vallotton customs you would be happy. I just acquired a SOF(Soldier of Fortune) Vallotton D/A auto with a similar blade, and shape of the Applegate-Fairbane that he was making at the time, and it is awesome to say the least.
SO if it's a custom you are looking for either of these models by Vallotton would be a keeper.
Just my .02 cents.

Larry
 
Stay away from the full size Combat. The lock sucks. The only thing I can say about the Combat is...don't carry one into it.
 
I got a full-size used & cheap on the forums, and of course the lock failed like it wasn't even there. I very carefully filed a tiny dip into the tang so that the lock-bar would travel a tad farther & engage better. Very sketchy thing to do, but as it happens it worked perfectly and now the lock holds dead-solid. I sharpened the top edge too, so now it's a very fierce fighting folder indeed. But, since the knife has no clip, it's not practical for pocket-carry. Someday I'll put the effort into adding a clip.

I also had a single-edge Covert, which I liked very much for utility but all the little screws kept falling out. Finally I gave it away to a friend who camps out literally a third of the year. He destroyed the knife with common use in a matter of months - the tip snapped & the handle around the pivot became so loose the knife was simply worthless. It's a really nice design, feels great in the hand, but I'd only buy it from a maker, never from Gerber. Unless you can find one so cheap that it doesn't matter when it falls apart.
 
My experience with the combat folder is opposit of everyone's here. My brother bought a full size combat folder over 6 years ago (probably closer to 8 or 10). He has put it through hard use, it has been used for cleaning fish on numerous occasions, his general purpose camp knife. I've seen him open many cans with it while out 4x4'ing. The lock on his knife has never failed and is still tight. As I stated he uses his knives as tools and put's them to hard use.
I just got one for Christmas, and it's lock seem's very tight. After reading posts on this forum in December (I only lurked here) I tried to intentionally cause the lock to fail and it did not do so.
After reading the reviews on here I asked my brother for his opinion, and he said he loved his and wouldn't think twice about buying another one.
Perhaps we have been lucky.
 
I won't repeat the warnings about the Combat's lock, that's been beat to death.

Even if you get one that locks up right (apparently they do exist!), there's another consideration that Gerber doesn't seem to mention: the Combat doesn't have a clip. If you don't mind having to keep it in the sheath (which *is* nice, actually), then it's not a problem; but if you planned to clip it to your front pocket, yer outta luck.

(Seems odd to me... people clip knives bigger than the Combat all the time. Wonder why Gerber didn't offer the option? Whatever... :confused: )

I will agree with the others: the Covert is a much sweeter knife in oh so many ways.

Because the liners are inset into the already-thin scales, the grip is VERY thin and rounded, and fits my smallish hands extremely well. The no-glare black clip sits the knife all the way into your pocket, for discreet carry. (In black jeans, it's nearly invisible.) The secondary LAWK-style safety is nice, and engages almost automatically when you grip the knife, unlike the CRKT version; disengaging it while wearing gloves can be iffy, though. Also, the Covery blade isn't just a scaled-down Combat blade, it doesn't have a straight section; it's all curves, making for a more attractive knife overall.

Let me put it this way: the Covert is the only Gerber I own that doesn't suck. Heck, they were bound to get one right eventually! ;)
 
Horses for courses I guess.
I am not a fan of clips on knives, I prefer to carry them in a sheath if they are larger. If I carry them in my pocket then they are a smaller folder.
I don't have a lot of experience with tactical folders and this is the only one I own. As I said my brother has put his through hard use and it has held up great.
For myself if I was carrying a knife to be used as a weapon it would either be a fixed blade(defense) or a cheap sharpened letter opener that I could use quickly and then dispose of (suprise offence).
I don't intend to do either, so the knife I normally carry is an old buck 110 (almost 25 years old now)or a gerber gatorgrip that my daughters bought me for christmas (they figure the bucks blade is almost to the point of being a toothpick as it has been used and sharpened so often).
Because I don't know a lot about tactical folders, I don't feel I can add anything to the discussion, other then what I already have.
 
I have the large one and yes the lock stunk.I have a kydex sheath for it,so I put thread lock on the main pivot screw and tightened to the max.It is now a nice fixed blade.
 
CHAINS said:
I have the large one and yes the lock stunk.
Click to expand...
Not *all* Combat locks stink. Mine is etched "First Production Run" on the blade, and it locks up just fine. I just feel the Covert is a better-made knife. Perhaps the lock issue is just a matter of crappy QC?
 
I never owned the AF folder, but my EDC was a Gerber Fred Carter II for a few weeks. The lock issues were mentioned before, but let me be the first, who tells you Gerber also has serious problems with it's ATS-34. I wouldn't buy any Gerber knife again, but I definately planning to purchase a cheap AF replica to use it as a letter opener. :cool:

Edited for spelling.
 
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