Info on old Recon 1 made in Japan?

dr_fosg8

dr_fosg8

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Mar 17, 2013
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Anyone know anything about this knife? It is an older Recon 1 blade says made in Japan, was this still Aus8a or did they use something different back then? Also never seen a CS with an axis style lock before, kind of cool. Also like the Emerson style thumb disk.

Best part is the history behind this particular knife. It belongs to a co worker whose brother had it for 2 tours in the middle east in the early to mid 2000's. Going to clean it up and sharpen it for him. Here are some pics.







 
Yep, that's an old AUS-8 Recon 1 with what CS called the Ultra Lock. It is an Axis lock, but they called it by a different name (probably part of their agreement with Benchmade at the time). That one's sure seen some serious use! :eek::cool:
 
G. Scott H. said:
Yep, that's an old AUS-8 Recon 1 with what CS called the Ultra Lock. It is an Axis lock, but they called it by a different name (probably part of their agreement with Benchmade at the time). That one's sure seen some serious use! :eek::cool:
Click to expand...

AUS8 makes sense. Just got done sharpening it with a DMT course to EF to a 600 grit SiC compound strop and once again this bad boy will take the hair clean off my leg. Love this steel from CS.
 
The more i look at it the more i find this old school tanto shape appealing, look a lot like the old CS Hatamoto too. Wish they will bring this style of tanto back one day.
 
This was the first version of the Recon 1 that came out in the early 2000s, with Zytel handle scales and AUS-8A blades.

The second generation switched production to Taiwan with 440A blade steel and G10 handle scales.

The Ultra Lock was the same principle as the Benchmade Axis Lock; a locking bar rode around the back of the blade tang. The main difference is that it was enclosed in a slot or channel.

I think the main reason they discontinued it was because they had to license it from Benchmade. I can't recall ever having seen an official announcement for that though.

I picked one up. It was okay. It wasn't as smooth as the Axis Lock was. It would bind up when closing. I am not a fan of the thumb disc opener either.

Plus the straight handle didn't feel that great compared to the 2010 redesign (third generation) that added the Tri-Ad Lock and much better handle ergonomics.
 
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Thanks for the catalog link and the history of these guys. I agree on the lock not being as smooth as the axis lock. It does hang up some and is rather gritty, that could be in part to the elements it has been exposed to somewhat though.
 
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