- Joined
- Dec 24, 2003
- Messages
- 1,390
I've been eyeing the Otanashi designed by James Williams for quite some time, and being that it has been favorably reviewed by many, decided to purchase one when I saw it being offered for about $70.00 plus $15.00 shipping to Italy. The seller was based in Canada, and the knife made it through Italian customs without their usually very high and arbitrary duty charge. Being that the knife costs double or triple here, I was very pleased. 
The knife is obviously designed as an offensive weapon, and the blade is designed after a Japanese tanto, highly effective for penetration. A YouTube movie showing Mr. Williams easily burying the entire blade into 3/4" plywood demonstrates the blade's effectiveness.
Overally the fit and finish on the delivered knife were very good. The textured G-10 scale on one side and the smooth stainless on the other were nicely machined, and the handle allowed for a very secure grip. The lockup was excellent with no movement whatsoever.
The patented manual LAWKS system engages a small pin between the frame and the locking liner preventing the locking liner from disengaging. I had no difficulty sliding the lever forward with my bare thumb, but with gloves it is not easy to do. I would have preferred some sort of automatic safety mechanism.
The blade was hair shaving razor sharp right out of the box. With very little stropping it would become stupid sharp. The point is needle sharp and the blade is AUS-8, which is o.k. for its intended purpose. The blade features lots of writing and Japanese characters, which are a bit much. The blade is also coated, probably with a silicone based paint. I'd prefer a bead blasted or satin finish myself...
The handle is very thin, less than a half inch thick, and features a clip that allows the knife to be carried deep in your pocket. There are three channels cut into the G-10 and stainless scales which probably add to the handle's grippiness. The design is not the greatest, but its there. Even though the knife weighs more than 6 ounces and closed is 5 1/2" long, it carries very well, and it's easy to forget about it...
The knife's thumb disc takes a bit of getting used to, but once you're accustomed to it is easy to open the knife without flipping. With gloves on it is much more difficukt to open. The thumb disc is the same width as the handle's thickness, but it could have been made a bit longer or more textured for easier opening.
Overall I think it's an excellent knife. I would have liked to see an option for a titanium frame and scales and better steel. I also saw the Otanashi tested to failure on YouTube, and a backlock or a Tri-ad
would have been a better lock choice for the torture testing.
Do any forumites have the Otanashi? What would you do to improve it, or what options would you like to see available?
The knife is obviously designed as an offensive weapon, and the blade is designed after a Japanese tanto, highly effective for penetration. A YouTube movie showing Mr. Williams easily burying the entire blade into 3/4" plywood demonstrates the blade's effectiveness.
Overally the fit and finish on the delivered knife were very good. The textured G-10 scale on one side and the smooth stainless on the other were nicely machined, and the handle allowed for a very secure grip. The lockup was excellent with no movement whatsoever.
The patented manual LAWKS system engages a small pin between the frame and the locking liner preventing the locking liner from disengaging. I had no difficulty sliding the lever forward with my bare thumb, but with gloves it is not easy to do. I would have preferred some sort of automatic safety mechanism.
The blade was hair shaving razor sharp right out of the box. With very little stropping it would become stupid sharp. The point is needle sharp and the blade is AUS-8, which is o.k. for its intended purpose. The blade features lots of writing and Japanese characters, which are a bit much. The blade is also coated, probably with a silicone based paint. I'd prefer a bead blasted or satin finish myself...
The handle is very thin, less than a half inch thick, and features a clip that allows the knife to be carried deep in your pocket. There are three channels cut into the G-10 and stainless scales which probably add to the handle's grippiness. The design is not the greatest, but its there. Even though the knife weighs more than 6 ounces and closed is 5 1/2" long, it carries very well, and it's easy to forget about it...
The knife's thumb disc takes a bit of getting used to, but once you're accustomed to it is easy to open the knife without flipping. With gloves on it is much more difficukt to open. The thumb disc is the same width as the handle's thickness, but it could have been made a bit longer or more textured for easier opening.
Overall I think it's an excellent knife. I would have liked to see an option for a titanium frame and scales and better steel. I also saw the Otanashi tested to failure on YouTube, and a backlock or a Tri-ad
would have been a better lock choice for the torture testing.Do any forumites have the Otanashi? What would you do to improve it, or what options would you like to see available?
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