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Hinderer XM-18 Review - Part 1
History & Pricing
I recently received a large Hinderer XM-18 to review as part of the pass-around here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=714696. This is the seventh round of the passaround, which speaks to the interest in and durability of the XM-18. This photo shows the knife with a Spyderco Manix 2.
As you may know, Rick Hinderer is a volunteer firefighter and EMT who handcrafts custom knives in his shop in Ohio. The XM-18 has been featured on the cover of Blade magazine. His knives are in such high demand that he only takes orders from police, fire, and military personnel. He also sells through dealers, but his knives are typically sold on a pre-order basis before they even reach the dealer.
Dealers typically sell the XM-18 for a premium above Hinderer’s normal $385 asking price. Demand is so high, however, that some dealers have closed their waiting lists and it isn’t unusual to see the XM-18 sell for $500-$800 or more on the secondary market.
For those unable to find an X-18 for sale, or uninterested in buying one at market prices, you may be able to find one of Hinderer’s other models like the Flashpoint fixed blade, Flame, Flashover, or FireTac. While they seem to sell briskly, they seem a little easier to find than the XM-18. You can also find Hinderer modular kubatons on sale at many dealers.
Gerber also offers two Hinderer designed production models. One is a rescue multi-tool -- as described here: http://www.gerbergear.com/index.php/product/id/112. The other is the CLS, or “Combat Life Saver” http://www.gerbergear.com/index.php/product/id/320. I haven’t handled either knife and neither seem anything like an XM-18 clone, but they have some of the same design cues.
Rick’s own website is here: http://www.rickhindererknives.com/
Materials
So what is all the fuss about? One of the things that may contribute the XM-18’s high regard is the materials used. They feature a titanium frame lock on one side and a textured 3-D G10 scale reinforced by a partial titanium liner on the other side. The G10 comes in black, blue, blue/black, green, green/black, or orange. I’ve also seen some in yellow. The blades are ground from various supersteels. I have seen some listed as CTS-XHP, D2, or Latrobe Duratech 20CV. The blade I received in the passaround isn’t marked, and I have no idea what it is made from.
I'm told that the review knife was "Generation 1." It has no markings of any kind, except "Hinderer," which is etched or engraved on the lock stop. The latest models have the blade steel etched on the blade and "Hinderer" engraved in the titanium scale.
Fit & Finish
My first impression of the XM-18 was that it is very nice knife. It looks and feels like it is worth the asking price. It is very well constructed with nicely finished details and well thought-out design features. It is an open backed design with the largest standoffs I’ve seen. The screw holes in the G10 are countersunk so the screw heads are flush with the handle.
I didn’t take apart the pivot, but it looks to be as beefy as the offerings from Chris Reeve and Strider -- the XM-18’s competition at its price point. Like the Chris Reeve Umnumzaan and the Striders I've handled, the thumb studs on the XM-18 function as a stop bar and fit into slight grooves in the handle when locked open. The thumb studs are one of the few features where the finish isn’t quite perfect. The checkering is a little uneven on both sides.
The lockup is solid and the lockbar travels to about 50% of the tang. There is very slight up and down blade play. If you grab the blade and push hard, the lock bar moves up a little. There is also slight side to side blade play. Again, if you grab the blade and push hard it will wiggle a little. It is similar to what I've found on my Striders and less than I've found on my CRKs (which don't move at all.) The blade on the XM-18 also came to me slightly off-center. and drags a little on the G10 side. I tried to adjust the pivot with a slotted screwdriver, but the other side requires a dedicated pivot tool and I didn't want to jury rig a solution on a knife that is not mine.
The blade flips open pretty easily with no wrist action required -- it’s a little quicker and easier than the my Chris Reeve or Strider knives. Closing it one-handed was easy, too, and the lockbar had the right amount of tension - maybe just a little stiffer than CRK or Strider. When opening, the XM-18 feels smoother Strider, but not as smooth as CRK. The titanium framelock slab on the XM-18 is .165” thick, slightly thicker than the .150” slabs on the Umnumzaan and the SMF. The framelock also features the Hinderer lockbar stabilizer invented by Rick Hinderer and now licensed for use by Strider and Zero Tolerance Knives.
More to follow in Part 2....
History & Pricing
I recently received a large Hinderer XM-18 to review as part of the pass-around here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=714696. This is the seventh round of the passaround, which speaks to the interest in and durability of the XM-18. This photo shows the knife with a Spyderco Manix 2.
As you may know, Rick Hinderer is a volunteer firefighter and EMT who handcrafts custom knives in his shop in Ohio. The XM-18 has been featured on the cover of Blade magazine. His knives are in such high demand that he only takes orders from police, fire, and military personnel. He also sells through dealers, but his knives are typically sold on a pre-order basis before they even reach the dealer.
Dealers typically sell the XM-18 for a premium above Hinderer’s normal $385 asking price. Demand is so high, however, that some dealers have closed their waiting lists and it isn’t unusual to see the XM-18 sell for $500-$800 or more on the secondary market.
For those unable to find an X-18 for sale, or uninterested in buying one at market prices, you may be able to find one of Hinderer’s other models like the Flashpoint fixed blade, Flame, Flashover, or FireTac. While they seem to sell briskly, they seem a little easier to find than the XM-18. You can also find Hinderer modular kubatons on sale at many dealers.
Gerber also offers two Hinderer designed production models. One is a rescue multi-tool -- as described here: http://www.gerbergear.com/index.php/product/id/112. The other is the CLS, or “Combat Life Saver” http://www.gerbergear.com/index.php/product/id/320. I haven’t handled either knife and neither seem anything like an XM-18 clone, but they have some of the same design cues.
Rick’s own website is here: http://www.rickhindererknives.com/
Materials
So what is all the fuss about? One of the things that may contribute the XM-18’s high regard is the materials used. They feature a titanium frame lock on one side and a textured 3-D G10 scale reinforced by a partial titanium liner on the other side. The G10 comes in black, blue, blue/black, green, green/black, or orange. I’ve also seen some in yellow. The blades are ground from various supersteels. I have seen some listed as CTS-XHP, D2, or Latrobe Duratech 20CV. The blade I received in the passaround isn’t marked, and I have no idea what it is made from.
I'm told that the review knife was "Generation 1." It has no markings of any kind, except "Hinderer," which is etched or engraved on the lock stop. The latest models have the blade steel etched on the blade and "Hinderer" engraved in the titanium scale.
Fit & Finish
My first impression of the XM-18 was that it is very nice knife. It looks and feels like it is worth the asking price. It is very well constructed with nicely finished details and well thought-out design features. It is an open backed design with the largest standoffs I’ve seen. The screw holes in the G10 are countersunk so the screw heads are flush with the handle.
I didn’t take apart the pivot, but it looks to be as beefy as the offerings from Chris Reeve and Strider -- the XM-18’s competition at its price point. Like the Chris Reeve Umnumzaan and the Striders I've handled, the thumb studs on the XM-18 function as a stop bar and fit into slight grooves in the handle when locked open. The thumb studs are one of the few features where the finish isn’t quite perfect. The checkering is a little uneven on both sides.
The lockup is solid and the lockbar travels to about 50% of the tang. There is very slight up and down blade play. If you grab the blade and push hard, the lock bar moves up a little. There is also slight side to side blade play. Again, if you grab the blade and push hard it will wiggle a little. It is similar to what I've found on my Striders and less than I've found on my CRKs (which don't move at all.) The blade on the XM-18 also came to me slightly off-center. and drags a little on the G10 side. I tried to adjust the pivot with a slotted screwdriver, but the other side requires a dedicated pivot tool and I didn't want to jury rig a solution on a knife that is not mine.
The blade flips open pretty easily with no wrist action required -- it’s a little quicker and easier than the my Chris Reeve or Strider knives. Closing it one-handed was easy, too, and the lockbar had the right amount of tension - maybe just a little stiffer than CRK or Strider. When opening, the XM-18 feels smoother Strider, but not as smooth as CRK. The titanium framelock slab on the XM-18 is .165” thick, slightly thicker than the .150” slabs on the Umnumzaan and the SMF. The framelock also features the Hinderer lockbar stabilizer invented by Rick Hinderer and now licensed for use by Strider and Zero Tolerance Knives.
More to follow in Part 2....
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