- Joined
- Jun 5, 2007
- Messages
- 5,463
I recently obtained a DPX H.E.S.T. Folder 2.0 in a trade with a friend of mine at a local gun show. It was my first encounter with the knife in person and had only seen it once before in a thread here on bladeforums when they were still in the construction phase. Since I didn't keep up with the knife or maker due to the blade length it was like a new discovery when I was introduced to it.
The knife is a tank! I've had Striders, ZT300's, Kershaw Tyrade's, Chris Reeve Folders, etc... and this thing is thick. Here's a quick rundown of the stats:
Blade: .197" thick of D2 Tool Steel with a cutting edge of approximately 3.1" (I had ignored the knife in the past due to the blade length as I prefer 3.5 - 4.0")
Handle: Grippy Foliage Green G-10 with Titanium Frame Lock
Lock: Titanium Frame Lock with an additional safety of the rotoblock
Carry Type: Deep Carry Right side tip up only with optional glass breaker stud or flat
Additional features: Bottle Opener "aka" Emerson Wave Opener, 3 different sized wire strippers, glass breaker, rotoblock makes knife like virtual fixed blade, 1/4" hex hole "aka" lanyard hole.
Pics to show everything:
This is the knife in the open position:
The knife closed:
This closeup shows the Bottle Opener "aka" Emerson Wave Opener which works very well and to the right side the Jimping doubles as 3 different sizes of wire strippers.
These pics show the rotoblock which doubles as a Hinderer stop and if turned clockwise locks the frame lock open making the knife like a virtual fixed blade:
This is a view of the Deep Carry clip and Glass breaker. The knife comes with a take down tool which has an optional flat screw to replace the glass breaker.
The knife has performed great so far as a duty knife. I won't fluff this more than it deserves - the knife is an Excellent Sharpened Pry Bar - but not a great slicer. This is flat ground and there is a lot of steel behind the edge, but if you are familiar with the grinds on a Strider then this won't be anything new to you. It is a stout knife which reminds me of an SNG or SMF without the extra finger choil. The knife rides deep, the detent is perfect on my knife, and I believe there may be a sort of bushing system in the pivot as I have loosened and tightened the pivot with the provided tool and the blade never loses it's "tension" much like a CRK Sebenza. I haven't tested out the glass breaker yet, and hopefully I won't ever have to, but I'm sure that it will work.
After doing some research of my own there has been a lot of mixed feelings about the knife due to the original run (1.0) not meeting hyped expectations. I feel as though the 2.0 is the answer to that and is the knife that should have been made in the first place. I don't know if I was lucky enough to get a "good" DPX HEST 2.0 or if all of the 2.0's are like mine, but it is an excellent knife and tool for work, around the house, and outdoors.
I hope everyone enjoyed the review, or more of a show and tell. Any questions or comments feel free to respond.
Take care and God bless, J.
The knife is a tank! I've had Striders, ZT300's, Kershaw Tyrade's, Chris Reeve Folders, etc... and this thing is thick. Here's a quick rundown of the stats:
Blade: .197" thick of D2 Tool Steel with a cutting edge of approximately 3.1" (I had ignored the knife in the past due to the blade length as I prefer 3.5 - 4.0")
Handle: Grippy Foliage Green G-10 with Titanium Frame Lock
Lock: Titanium Frame Lock with an additional safety of the rotoblock
Carry Type: Deep Carry Right side tip up only with optional glass breaker stud or flat
Additional features: Bottle Opener "aka" Emerson Wave Opener, 3 different sized wire strippers, glass breaker, rotoblock makes knife like virtual fixed blade, 1/4" hex hole "aka" lanyard hole.
Pics to show everything:
This is the knife in the open position:
The knife closed:
This closeup shows the Bottle Opener "aka" Emerson Wave Opener which works very well and to the right side the Jimping doubles as 3 different sizes of wire strippers.
These pics show the rotoblock which doubles as a Hinderer stop and if turned clockwise locks the frame lock open making the knife like a virtual fixed blade:
This is a view of the Deep Carry clip and Glass breaker. The knife comes with a take down tool which has an optional flat screw to replace the glass breaker.
The knife has performed great so far as a duty knife. I won't fluff this more than it deserves - the knife is an Excellent Sharpened Pry Bar - but not a great slicer. This is flat ground and there is a lot of steel behind the edge, but if you are familiar with the grinds on a Strider then this won't be anything new to you. It is a stout knife which reminds me of an SNG or SMF without the extra finger choil. The knife rides deep, the detent is perfect on my knife, and I believe there may be a sort of bushing system in the pivot as I have loosened and tightened the pivot with the provided tool and the blade never loses it's "tension" much like a CRK Sebenza. I haven't tested out the glass breaker yet, and hopefully I won't ever have to, but I'm sure that it will work.
After doing some research of my own there has been a lot of mixed feelings about the knife due to the original run (1.0) not meeting hyped expectations. I feel as though the 2.0 is the answer to that and is the knife that should have been made in the first place. I don't know if I was lucky enough to get a "good" DPX HEST 2.0 or if all of the 2.0's are like mine, but it is an excellent knife and tool for work, around the house, and outdoors.
I hope everyone enjoyed the review, or more of a show and tell. Any questions or comments feel free to respond.
Take care and God bless, J.
