Cumming Bladeworks USA

[Fiddleback]

I think its the thinner steel. I really like this tickness. And you nailed the Elf. Never felt so nimble a knife. Cool. What did you think of the pricepoint of the Trailmaster?

 

[RobbieB]

What did you think of the pricepoint of the Trailmaster?

I think the Trailmaster provides a lot of value for the price. I could easily see folks wanting multiples - one to keep in the car, one in the bug out bag, another for general use, and so on.

 

[pertinux]

What did you think of the pricepoint of the Trailmaster?

Not having a belt sander and being leery of sanding micarta besides, I’m wondering:

How much would it add to the cost of each knife to even lightly swipe/knock down the sharper edges, as R RobbieB has done with his?

( R RobbieB , maybe be ready to name your price, as well. )

~ P.

 

[Fiddleback]

Not having a belt sander and being leery of sanding micarta besides, I’m wondering:

How much would it add to the cost of each knife to even lightly swipe/knock down the sharper edges, as R RobbieB has done with his?

( R RobbieB , maybe be ready to name your price, as well. )

~ P.

We are still developing our processes on these. They will evolve a bit. Plus, as we attain and train ourselves on more automated macinery for this line, things, again will evolve because of that. They are priced so that we actually don't profit making them by hand. The idea was to price based on the future capability, and build sales/get feedback.

 

[RobbieB]

( R RobbieB , maybe be ready to name your price, as well. )

I'm not that skilled with the belt sander. It probably would have turned out better if I had hand sanded all the edges. It's really not difficult at all;
VANCE 's post linked above does a way better job of explaining it than I ever could. But, if you're still not comfortable doing it yourself, for you P, I'd sand for free.

 

[Oyster]

pertinux
Andy or one of the others will probably weigh in, but I think you’d be fine with sandpaper (would wear a mask, though). I haven’t tried my hand at micarta, but have slightly modded quite a few spydercos that can use a bit of chamfering out of the box (that entails sanding down G10 and some of the steel to round them off a little/take off sharp edges). Makes them much more comfortable, IMO. I wouldn’t hesitate to do the same with one of these. To my mind, it’s a similar situation: a great (base) product at a very reasonable price point where I save a bundle by putting a few of the finishing touches on myself. Has worked well for me so far. And it’s also fun for me

ETA: there you go: R RobbieB already posted as I was still typing...

 

[Lady1911]

I don't think I can capture that very well in a photo, but below is my best attempt. The very bottom of the scales are ground flat with the tang. The side is curved, and where those two meet (identified by the arrows in this photo) had a slight edge. It was not as pronounced as the edge at the butt, and I wouldn't say it was really uncomfortable in the hand, but it was distracting. I suspect it would become more noticeable if using the knife for a long period of time. Yes, ministrations were effective. This photo is after the sanding; I didn't take a before picture.

I may have cheated a little. I have an entry level 1 x 42 inch belt sander from Kalamazoo Industries, and used it to knock the edge off these scales. I didn't want to take much off, so I used a 1000 grit belt just on the butt's edges. I finished by briefly hand sanding with 1500 and then 2000 grit paper. I tend to use finer grain abrasives. I only hand sanded the underside, and the progression I used was 800 -> 1000 -> 1500 -> 2000. If I were to this again, I'd start with a coarser grit, probably 400. Again, I only wanted to remove a tiny bit of Micarta.

Thanks for the details on this, Robbie! I’ll be attempting a similar *carry melt* on my Utility later to soften some of the sharp edges. Will probably start with 800 or 1000 grit because it doesn’t need much, and I’d rather be too conservative then too aggressive. Will also post some first impressions.

*carry melt - I’m borrowing the term from a custom pistol manufacturer that I’ve dealt with in the past. It simply describes the process of smoothing any sharp edges (with sandpaper or appropriate tools) that would hinder one’s ability to comfortably carry or use it. The end result was a finish that you could run a Q-tip across without snagging.

 

[Fiddleback]

I would use 400 grit paper then a bit of scotchbrite. Wrap it around a dowell and just hit the corners. I will try to improve this int he future batches.

 

[Lady1911]

And so begins my foray into Cumming Bladeworks USA.....

I received my CBW Utility, and immediately was impressed with the size and shape of it. It’s small, but nimble and quick and easily maneuverable. I really like it!!



The handle shape is pleasantly ergonomic for me, tucking right into my palm with the pinky hanging over the end and securing it in place. This is where I first noticed the sharp corners on the butt. It might not be an issue for most, but I could already predict the inside of my pinky getting roughed up on the pointy corner.



The underside of the handle was a bit sharp, but I can see a benefit to that for offering better traction with gloves or slippery hands. It wasn’t as much of an issue.



I decided to give it a little smoothing out, based on the technique that R RobbieB used, along with Andy’s advice. I used some 400-grit sandpaper with a piece of leather behind it and gently worked the sharp points on the end and corners, then wrapped a wooden dowel in sandpaper and did the long edges underneath.



Followed it up with some scotchbrite and mineral oil. It was very easy, and as Robbie mentioned, it made a big difference tactilely, if not visually. A little bit of sanding goes a long way.





I’m also very happy with the steel thickness of the Utility. It seems more than capable of handling routine cutting tasks that one would use a...well, utility knife for.

The one minor complaint is the way the pins don’t sit flush with the handle, leaving a bit of a sharp edge if I run my finger around it, but I’d have to really press down hard for it to be an issue, so I’m not bothered by it.

Something I am perplexed about.....on first glance, it seemed to have about 1/8” of space that could be used for blade, but which seems like an elongated ricasso. After handling and using it for a little bit, I forgot all about it because there’s enough blade for what I would typically want with a knife of this size, and I found that the flat gave my thumb a place to reside when I was opening a couple of boxes. Really, not an issue, just a mild curiosity.

I am quite pleased with this little guy, and will be looking to acquire a Trailmaster next!

 

[Choppaman]

Lady1911 great post and great job on the sanding. Can’t wait for you to try a Trailmaster!

 

[Fiddleback]

Great review Lady1911 !!! From here on out, we will fix the sharp edges issue. I will look at the issue you mention around the pins too. Sounds like there is a small burr. Might be time to switch to micarta pins if we can't figure a cost effective way to remove the burrs. (IE, not adding a step)

 

[Fiddleback]

Folks! Just as with Fiddleback Forge knives, we are DEPENDANT on your enthusiasm for your knives to sell Cumming Bladeworks knives. Please help us spread the word on this fledgling brand by posting your thoughts, pics, reviews, etc on other forums! We are working on getting patches for Cumming Bladeworks USA made. Once that happens, you'll be able to get one by sending Phillip a link to your posts at other spots about our new brand!

 

[pertinux]

R RobbieB et al, thanks so much for your explanation, pictures, and encouragement re: the current CB knives-- much appreciated!

And so begins my foray into Cumming Bladeworks USA.....

I received my CBW Utility, and immediately was impressed with the size and shape of it. It’s small, but nimble and quick and easily maneuverable. I really like it!!

Wow-- excellent job! The Utility is the one I've been drawn to most from the start, and this pretty much seals it. Thanks so much for your way-helpful images and descriptions.

Great review Lady1911 !!! From here on out, we will fix the sharp edges issue. I will look at the issue you mention around the pins too. Sounds like there is a small burr. Might be time to switch to micarta pins if we can't figure a cost effective way to remove the burrs. (IE, not adding a step)

Great responsiveness.

To me, the open rivet thingies have looked like schmutz collectors from the get-go (the knife equivalent of a belly button, and we all know what accumulates there...), so micarta pins would be a welcome change.

Folks! Just as with Fiddleback Forge knives, we are DEPENDENT on your enthusiasm for your knives to sell Cumming Bladeworks knives. Please help us spread the word on this fledgling brand by posting your thoughts, pics, reviews, etc on other forums! We are working on getting patches for Cumming Bladeworks USA made. Once that happens, you'll be able to get one by sending Phillip a link to your posts at other spots about our new brand!

With this in mind, I recommend that you take a careful look at your current distributors' copy for these knives (and establish an agreed-upon standard if you have not already done so), to make sure your brand message is on point.

~ P.

 

[ndmiller]

It may have already been posted, but will you have some of the line @ Trackrock? Just haven't been able to keep up with everything since the initial announcement, freaking life getting in the way.

 

[Lady1911]

Great review Lady1911 !!! From here on out, we will fix the sharp edges issue. I will look at the issue you mention around the pins too. Sounds like there is a small burr. Might be time to switch to micarta pins if we can't figure a cost effective way to remove the burrs. (IE, not adding a step)

I'd like to reiterate that the sharp burr around the circumference of the pins is only on one side of mine. The forward pin, on the left side, has the most pronounced extension. For me, not really a problem, but it might be worth a little buffing just to make sure it isn't too sharp where it sticks out, being in an area where the thumb often rests.

Awesome response, Andy! Based on the minimal time I spent smoothing/sanding, I don't think it would take much to give it a little once-over before it leaves the shop. Less than 5 minutes made a big difference for me, and I probably went a little above and beyond with it. I am enjoying this knife a lot, and the price point is spot on, in my opinion. It has (so far) earned its place in my EDC rotation, and I'm already waiting on my next one(s).

ETA: I could have at least wiped the blade down before posting pictures of it...there was a bit of residue left on it from cutting stuff. Just want to note that it came out of the box completely clean and sharp. Any marks on it are from me.

 

[jaz322]

It may have already been posted, but will you have some of the line @ Trackrock? Just haven't been able to keep up with everything since the initial announcement, freaking life getting in the way.

ndmiller - I’m planning to bring a cumming bladeworks necker you can check out, which is appropriate since I’m looking forward to the keppy you offered me to try!

 

[VANCE]

we softened the edges abit and added facets to the pommel end
sorry for the crappy pic...but you can tell a difference in your hand for sure

 

[VANCE]

imma try this again

good lord, the years of sanding have completely jack'd up my thumb muscles

 

[Choppaman]

VANCE YES man! that I want to check out! I think I'm going to leave mine as is for now (haven't gotten time to mess with around with it yet) and get one like that and compare. When will this be available?

 

[Odaon]

imma try this again

good lord, the years of sanding have completely jack'd up my thumb muscles

Looks great, and I love the orange!! Is it a Trail Master? Can I have it?