I did it again...ordered an RD NS 7 this time. :D

R

Roguer

Joined
Jan 5, 2015
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OK...looking at fiances...saw things going to be thin and dim till late summer...going over what I been thinking of but never got.

Thanks to a super sale that went on with OKC knives earlier this year I filled out my replacement back up knives I "needed/wanted" to keep ready if needed. Gifts to people who I thought who really needed a REAL knife they could depend on if really needed. So far it turned out they were at times.

I TFIed last month finding two a good idea, since my brother will get one from me...unless I give him the RD4...

I decided on the Night Stalker RD 7! Because its on special sale on Knife Center for a while, its in the nice price zones the RD 6 and RD Tanto is, and well I been meaning to get that sized NS knife. It has the Luminescence Dots on the handles but since it was 30 bucks cheaper and had micarta handles it was easy to decide!

I passed on the NS 9 because it seems like a SP-52 with a nice solid handle and pommel though. And well the NS 7 is on special sale.

I think the mid length bolo of the NS 7 probably will work well enough for me. The FFG of a middling knife and bolo type blade should make it a good all round carry knife. My RD7s though are still with the RD Tanto my main one blade options for the fewer times I test my getting unlost skills when out and about. :D
 
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I just picked up an NS-6 with orange G10 for a steal. Stripped the coating, did a vinegar & mustard patina, and sanded the scales a bit. It's a great blade shape, very effective, and great weight &feel. I bet the NS-7 would be even better.
 
I got 2 good working RD7s I find more useful than my RD6s, and since it was on sale the NS7 seemed the smarter choice. The "bolo" design of the blade looks like it might be pretty effective, for a middling sized knife I figure the FFG isn't bad since the knife has a 1/4" spine and the steel is 5160 steel. :D

I looked hard at the NS-9 but that looked like an SP-52 type but with a great handle and pommel! Yeah I know they are differn't because of the points on them, but I figure my RD9s I got will do the same task and be easier to sharpen.

Still the RD 4-9, TANTO and it looks like the NS line still using the same type of handle and pommel with the great choil platform makes them knives pretty great at doing bushy stuff I find. Not as goodly as a "TRUE UBER BUSY BLADE OF BUSHINESS!" but it gets the job done pretty good. Yes the shorter blade does it a bit better, the RD4 is smaller and easier to control than the larger RD9, but that's to be expected.
 
Well after the local post offices played hot potato with my package I finally got the NS7!

Well its like I thought it would be, an RD 7 ground down to a bolo-recurve design as I can see the entire RD7 blade covers all the area of the NS7 and one can see where the area that was ground out is. This seems to make the knife profile a bit lighter and more lively in the hand, and seems to be able to have a little more choppy ability in the sweet spot area of the bolo profile. Haven't had a chance to take it out to "Field Test" in woods area, but the blade length for me seems a versatile length for me that is, of 7.5 inches seems it might be a bit more good at bushy stuff than the RD 4-9 line. But then I haven't tested it out yet, and for limb clearing and such I have yet to compare it to the RD Tanto. I think I was right to get the NS 7 over the NS 6, besides the special price on Knife Center, just the same reason why I prefer my RD 7 over the RD 6, where that extra inch does make a BIG difference.

The rest of the knife handle, choil, my usual statements I do, handle okishly needs sanding on sharp parts, choil helps it make it a great busy stuff capable, and the thumping and whumping pommel head...er nut crusher stuff.

It would be good for short duration outings for me where it might not get to dull to fast, as my field recurve sharpening leaves some what to be desired category. Unless I use what others call the unholy PULL THROUGH SHARPENER :eek:! Hence my like of straight edges for such excisions for longer duration trips. Or just to keep from having to to do a recurve sharpening.
 
OK...I don't know why I did this...

I ordered another NS7 from knife center, the one that's on special the cost of a regular RD knife.

I haven't got experience much with my current one, but the blade length seems to say just right, I can see its a good knife with its recurvie blade potential, like field dressing big critters that got gottened. I WAS looking over RD 7s over there...hemming and hawing but ordered another NS7... Guess I'll have to hope my instinct/impulse/wannanewknifenownownow! feeling pays off. Its a middling sized knife so the FFG don't bother me as usually the 5160 is a plus, clip point was the usual compromise...

On the plus size the RD7 does fit in the two snap strapped sheath it comes it. I swapped sheaths with my RD7 for it. I think the blade length makes the NS7 most versatile out of the bunch of them.
 
The 2nd one arrived today! Got it!

It came with a sheath for my RD7 again! :D

Both probably are going to be loaned to visitors who find it can do the work of a small hatchet for a day trip and still do knifey things. But they do have a nice feel to them, but I think the recurve blade and my low proper capability of doing a nice sharp re-curve with out a pull through sharpener will li.5mit them to day trips.

Editcus:
The Knife Connection NS 7 on special sale with the florescent dots is a good sized blade where the space taking choil is off set by the extra inch you get with the 7.5 inch blade. As with most RD blades the choil makes it a good all around blade, but by the feel it seems the NS series don't need it. But eh' it works.
 
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I still don’t have a 7, just sixes and nines. I looked for it but thought you had said knife center, so I was looking in the wrong place. What do you use for sharpening your non-recurves?
 
I use a course and fine grit stone or a sharpener or a pull through sharpener I make sure it has fresh carbide blades on.
 
Is the recurve that much harder? I guess you could use a “puck” style stone, I think they are friendlier for axes and probably recurves as well, I think. And they’re $5.
 
If I have to I go to Razor's Edge, I live close to them, that's if I really do a number on my SP-53s.
 
That’s right I forgot that the sp53 was a recurve! Been a long time since I’ve used an sp besides the 10.
 
Its king of the choppers and I use it the most on car based thingies and not to have to haul it far outings and the old farm stead trail hacking.
 
Roguer said:
Its king of the choppers and I use it the most on car based thingies and not to have to haul it far outings and the old farm stead trail hacking.
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Ever wish the sp53 had full tang and pommel?
 
HELL YEAH! Also the SP-51! That's why I pair it with an RD. That's why I got the Woodsman as it has a full tang, might do a pommel mod if I think its needed.
 
Roguer said:
HELL YEAH! Also the SP-51! That's why I pair it with an RD. That's why I got the Woodsman as it has a full tang, might do a pommel mod if I think its needed.
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Just remember if you do the pommel mod and then break the handle slabs, it might not be covered under warranty! Of course they probably won’t charge you much if that day ever comes, Ontario is very fair.
I still want to see a sp51 style woodsman, though an extra 2inches would be perfect. They could call it Woodsman’s 11. With 5160, there isn’t that 9-10” limit that there is with 1095.(for thick, hard use blades, not talking about machetes)I’ve seen full size swords in 5160–Hey Ontario would a Marines dress style sword (except a user) reproduction ever be a possibility?
 
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OK, good knife, good for slicing and it can chop and baton. Its a knife that can chop category knife.

Its a 7.5 inch long blade with 1/4" spine FFG with a recurve and is full tang with a micarta grip and is a great 5160 steel!

Its a Knife Center deal less than the cost of an RD6 or Tanto most places with illuminated dots in the micarta handle.

Its works pretty good. Recurve might be hard to sharpen for some, like me, but so far it hasn't needed a MAJOR resharpening. I got some one who can do a recurve I think.

Will I get another one or two...if their supplies hold out I will. Why? Because I can gift them at the price of an RD 6. I decided its a functional 7.5" blade.
 
I see they’re priced about $15 higher than what I paid for my rd6’s. I’m wondering if the extra inch and the weight reduction are worth making a new sheath when I already have both leather and kydex for my rd6? I still use the rd9, a modded sp50 with guard, and the woodsman as camp knives. Oh, and the rtak2 for clearing, if I dont have an 18” with me.
 
Well the older sheath comes with it.

Its a great knife for HARD use, like the other 5160 RDs.

It makes a good general use knife that can do HARD things when needed or a good stand alone blade. Its a knife that can chop pretty dang well for blade purposes, the RD handle series is another part of the equation for long term literal hacking and whacking bushy brush. When it needs to Baton, its a 5160 RD Knife and will do it very well as the others! For a Middling sized blade, I find it useful. I give them out as a loaner or two, still love my RD7s for general lone carry. But I got lots of great options now! And I don't put them under glass like a pheasant. :D
 
Roguer said:
Well the older sheath comes with it.

Its a great knife for HARD use, like the other 5160 RDs.

It makes a good general use knife that can do HARD things when needed or a good stand alone blade. Its a knife that can chop pretty dang well for blade purposes, the RD handle series is another part of the equation for long term literal hacking and whacking bushy brush. When it needs to Baton, its a 5160 RD Knife and will do it very well as the others! For a Middling sized blade, I find it useful. I give them out as a loaner or two, still love my RD7s for general lone carry. But I got lots of great options now! And I don't put them under glass like a pheasant. :D
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I didn’t understand the last sentence. Apart from that I agree, Ontario’s 5160 is great. For hacking through vines and brush the rtak2 is amazing, as it’s weight isn’t as tiring as the 1/4” blades. It’s still 5160, so it can bend and still be usable. Haven’t got one chip large enough to mention.
 
The Rtak II is great for nice greeny and thinner stuff, but where I live black spruce and alder brush are the norm for hacking and whacking, around the local old farmstead the SP-53 is king! On extended trips the SP-51 does it job well, not as able to do knifey things as well as the SP-53 but I got other knives for knifey things and the SP-51's straight edge is easier to maintain away every where.

My Rtak II is the other brush cleaner upper, but so far only trimming some plumb bushes gone wild and such. The Woodsman has to much value for meat and cooking and for the game pack, when my little sister don't steel it...I tried getting her one during the sale but they all went poof pretty dang fast when I finally had the cash. It shows people value the woodsman.

The NS 7 is a good general purpose knife of a length I consider ideal for a single carry one knife option that impressed me enough to get the second as I usually get 2 of things I find I very useful to use.

For those wondering a good middling sized chopper is the RD Tanto, it can chop and do knife things! I got a few of them...well till I give one or two a way that is...
 
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